Dallas Independent School District To Undergo Up To 4,000 Layoffs

The Dallas Independent School District will undergo an astounding number of layoffs this year.

According to the district, up to 3,100 on-campus employees and teachers, as well as 800 off-campus employees, could be affected by the mass layoffs.

Texas is facing a massive budget gap of over $15 billion, thus education will be struck hard as legislators prepare the budget for the next two years.

“Obviously, we were in shock; we were in denial,” said Michael Hinojosa, the superintendent of the DISD. “In fact, we had been given the worst-case scenario that the state would suffer cuts of $5 billion over the biennium, but then it turned into $5 billion per year, so that just doubled the things that we were kind of preparing for.”

There are an array of scenarios that could play out, however, the DISD will have to cut at least 10% of its staff in the best-case scenario.

In addition to furlough days and salary cuts, the district may close older schools in favor of newer schools that have been built.

“If we have to close other schools and move the kids to the new facilities, we will use our new campuses,” said Hinojosa.