Santa Ana Unified School District passes proposal to layoff hundreds of employees

The Santa Ana Unified school board passed a proposal that would lay off hundreds of employees from Orange County's second-largest school district.

The school district passed the proposal in a 4-1 vote Thursday night. The school board will have to come back in January with a set plan on what layoffs would look like before going into effect.

Once the new plan is approved, layoff notices would go out almost immediately and staff members could be out of a job by March. The layoffs 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.” 

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.