Facing budget gap, San Diego Unified turns to retirements and reorganization — but doesn’t rule out layoffs
SAN DIEGO -- As it considers its options to close a gaping projected budget deficit of more than $100 million, San Diego Unified School District plans to reorganize departments and cut vacant jobs but also expects fewer layoffs than last year.
Much still remains up in the air, particularly on future funding from the state and federal governments, district officials acknowledged at a Tuesday night workshop where staff briefed the board of trustees on their budget process.
Late last year, district officials said they had managed to shrink their projected deficit by around $60 million but were still looking at a gap of $113 million — a gap they planned to close by spending down tens of millions in reserves and by offering early retirement to employees to thin its payroll.
But even that projection assumed a 2.9% cost-of-living increase in state funding next year. The governor’s proposed budget out last month included only a 2.4% increase — meaning less state funding for schools, and more budget cuts for districts.
With figures shared Tuesday, district officials appeared to be bracing for an even lower adjustment in the state’s final fiscal-year budget.
They also assume a budget deficit ranging between $106 million and $89 million — though they cautioned that some numbers could be out of date. The ranges depended on factors like the discretionary block grant and funding for transitional kindergarten.
On Tuesday night, W. Drew Rowlands, the district’s deputy superintendent of operations, said that he hesitated to promise there would be no layoff notices by March 15 — the deadline to notify layoffs ahead of the next school year — “because there are a few things we just need to do to clean some things up.”
But he also said there would be nowhere near the level of cuts made last year. “We’re not going to be anywhere in that kind of neighborhood this time,” he said.
The board will hear another interim budget update in March. A final budget will be delivered in June.
Read entire article from the Union Tribune: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/02/05/facing-budget-gap-san-diego-unified-turns-to-retirements-and-reorganization-but-doesnt-rule-out-layoffs/
Learn more about the budget: www.sandiegounified.org/budget