DISD Lays Off 1,100

The troubled Dallas Independent School District last week made the painful decision to lay off 1,100 employees, including teachers in core subjects, to reduce an $84 million budget shortfall.

The DISD board voted 5 to 2 in favor of layoffs, with one abstention, as teachers protested outside the administration building. Non-contract employees will receive notices by Oct. 9. Contract employees, including teachers, will be notified Oct. 10-17. Contract employees will remain on the payroll until January.

More than 400 of the jobs include teachers in the core subject areas of math, science, social studies, and English, according to news reports. An additional 500 support staff — including teacher aides, hall monitors, and clerks — will also be cut.

With existing budget cuts, DISD is still $15 million short of balancing its budget. The district reported a $64 million shortfall in mid-September, increasing it to $84 million by the end of the month. District officials have blamed the financial crunch in part on accounting problems.

The district in May won voter approval of $1.35 billion of general obligation bonds, but has not issued any of the debt this year.

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