HOUSTON – Houston Independent School District board of trustees President Rhonda Skillern-Jones said there will be cuts no matter what and Thursday night we found out that a number of teachers will be let go.
On Friday morning, the district said those cuts may come right after spring break.
"Don't cut what our children need, which is qualified teachers," said Susan Knoblauch, a magnet program parent.
Knoblauch echoed the sentiment uttered by many parents at the board meeting.
Meanwhile, Skillern-Jones is soliciting solutions to the inevitable cuts.
"I said to my parents that come to me and ask for meetings, it would be helpful if you could tell me where to cut," Skillern-Jones said.
Some parents proposed an alternate solution.
"Like any company, they should start at the top, they are so very top heavy, they should look at their own administration," Knoblauch said.
"I guess cut the high salaries of the people," said Jose Balderas, a Bellaire High School grandparent. "They need to hire the low-salary people like the teachers."
What the board of trustees approved is what's called a plan for reduction in force. This is the direct result of the $115 million budget shortfall HISD faces.
Thursday night's approval, however, is procedural.
What it means is the board gave the green light to layoffs of contracted employees: teachers, administrators and other professionals.
Exactly how many positions are in jeopardy, the board didn't specify.
HISD released the following statement Friday morning:
"Principals will be receiving their budget information in the near future. At that time, campus administrators will then have the required information to determine their staffing needs for the 2018-2019 school year. The Reduction in Force board items that were approved at last evenings (sic) board meeting were procedural to allow future reductions in force to occur if necessary. Of course, campus based reduction in force decisions related to changes in programming, or staff reorganizations unrelated to the budget, are also covered by this item, and can be brought forward for review immediately."
HISD officials went on to say that no teachers will be let go Friday, but possibly right after spring break.
"We still need to make sure that we are able to keep every teacher who gets a layoff notice and wants to stay in HISD. And make sure the date we find a classroom for them in August," said Zeph Capo, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers.
Due to attrition, the board said, roughly 2,000 teachers leave HISD at the end of a school year on average. So teachers who get cut and want to stay, may be reassigned.