HOUSTON – Layoffs have not happened yet, but Thursday night's vote will leave many HISD employees uneasy during spring break.
The Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to move forward with cutting positions. The procedural vote will allow for ‘reduction in force’ (RIF) to help offset the $115 million budget hole HISD is in.
“This is one of the most disturbing situations I have ever seen in HISD,” said Gayle Fallon, the former president of the Houston Federation of Teachers.
She served as the union president for HISD for 32 years. Fallon said even when the district slashed more than 700 jobs in 2011, she thinks the current situation is worse and the numbers of layoffs will be bigger.
“Even in 2011 it was nothing like, this bad. This is absolutely catastrophic, and when you look at the legislature, they don’t care. It’s like, 'Let’s just fund charters and give people vouchers, so they can leave. 'It really does look like they are deliberately trying to destroy the schools,” Fallon said.
What will be cut?
It’s too early to tell, but the district will be able to make a decision once they figure out the staffing that is needed for the 2018-2019 school year.
HISD will also have to look into attrition of how many teachers will retire or leave the district this school year.
“What you have to do is cut back on your teaching force which they can do through attrition really, when you lose 2,000 teachers a year you can do it through attrition,” Fallon said.
From her experience, she believes whatever cuts happen, it will mean larger class sizes, smaller support staff, and custodial staff to keep the schools clean.
“You’re going to see a lot of your elementary schools lose, those few that have it, art, music, librarians, anything the principal can look at and say, 'The state doesn't say I have to do this,' will be gone,” Fallon said.
All speculation, but parents are concerned.
“I’m concerned because we bought a house thinking we could send our kids to school in a good place,” said Sowmya Nandakumar, whose 4-year-old son will enter kindergarten in August.
She said they live in the Oak Forest area, but they’re zoned to Katherine Smith Elementary School. Nandakumar said she’s worried that the cuts will impact her son’s foundation of education.
“Yes, definitely the budget cuts are concerning because that would mean lesser number of teachers and probably lower standard. We don’t’ know that but that’s what it means to me,” Nandakumar said.
HISD released the following statement Friday morning:
"Principals will be receiving their budget information in the near future. At that time, campus administrators will then have the required information to determine their staffing needs for the 2018-2019 school year.
"The Reduction in Force board items that were approved at last evenings (sic) board meeting were procedural to allow future reductions in force to occur if necessary. Of course, campus-based reduction in force decisions related to changes in programming, or staff reorganizations unrelated to the budget, are also covered by this item, and can be brought forward for review immediately."
HISD officials went on to say that no teachers will be let go Friday, but possibly right after spring break.
"We still need to make sure that we are able to keep every teacher who gets a layoff notice and wants to stay in HISD. And make sure the date we find a classroom for them in August," said Zeph Capo, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers.