The Santa Ana Unified School district is planning to layoff hundreds of employees due to budget cuts.
This would include teachers, counselors, and social workers.
The announcement was met with a lot of pushback at the school board meeting on Tuesday, which was adjourned without a vote on the measure.
“The Santa Ana Unified School District recognizes concerns about fiscal stabilization efforts and remains committed to supporting students’ academic and social-emotional needs,” the district said in a statement. “The proposed staffing adjustments are necessary to ensure the District’s long-term financial health following the expiration of temporary federal and state pandemic-relief funding.”
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The district says that those adjustments will not eliminate programs but will instead “realign staffing levels to current funding realities while ensuring critical student supports remain in place.”
Their key proposals include:
- Maintaining a Strong Academic Counselor Ratio: The District will maintain a counselor-to-student ratio of 395:1—well below state and national averages and lower than many surrounding districts.
- Expanding Mental Health and Wellness Support: SAUSD will enhance services through School-Based Mental Health Specialists, offering evidence-based therapeutic support, early identification of social-emotional issues, and interventions to help students thrive.
- Strengthening Partnerships and Interventions: The District will collaborate with local mental health providers and implement an early warning system to address student needs promptly.
A special session is scheduled today.
