More than 100 members of the local teachers union, along with other labor groups, parents, students and community members, rallied outside of the Long Beach Unified School District’s office this week, preemptively advocating against layoffs as the district works on balancing its budget for the next academic year.
With LBUSD facing a deficit and declining enrollment, among other challenges, the Teachers Association of Long Beach is concerned about potential layoffs. That prompted the Wednesday, Dec. 11, rally, during which union members and city leaders gave speeches, while a crowd of about 200 held up signs that read “Strong Public Schools, No Layoffs,” “Protect Our Students” and “No Layoffs” as they yelled, applauded and chanted.
TALB represents more than 3,700 members in the school district and includes teachers, nurses, librarians, speech and language pathologists, coaches, psychologists and counselors, among others, according to its website. The union advocates for protecting members’ rights and professional interests with the district, and for improving students’ learning conditions.
The “No Layoff Rally” came at a time when the district is looking for ways to allocate its budget for the 2026-27 school year. With a $1.3 billion budget, LBUSD is currently operating on a deficit, according to district data.
Members of theTeachers Association of Long Beach, along with other union members and employees, parents, students and community members rallied outside of the Long Beach Unified School District’s office to demand no layoffs on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Members of theTeachers Association of Long Beach, along with other union members and employees, parents, students and community members rallied outside of the Long Beach Unified School District’s office to demand no layoffs on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Members of theTeachers Association of Long Beach, along with other union members and employees, parents, students and community members rallied outside of the Long Beach Unified School District’s office to demand no layoffs on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Members of theTeachers Association of Long Beach, along with other union members and employees, parents, students and community members rallied outside of the Long Beach Unified School District’s office to demand no layoffs on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Despite the deficit, TALB representatives and members said, the district should exhaust “every possible option” to balance the budget before laying anyone off.
“There is no scenario when getting rid of teachers helps learning,” Davy Yap, a teacher at Washington Middle School, said during the rally. “Cuts should never come from the classroom. Our students deserve stability, support and to know that their teacher, counselor, librarian will be there for them every day and next year.
“Ensuring our schools are stable should be the district’s number one priority,” Yap added. “That means protecting the educators to ensure our children are safe, have trustful relationships and academic success for every student. Any amount of layoffs takes that away from our students. If the district truly values our students, they must show it.”
TALB representatives and members said that layoffs would have a devastating impact on Long Beach’s students and community. Many said that taking teachers out of the classroom and removing fundamental student support would lead to larger class sizes and instability in schools across the district.
“If you have people that are laid off, it’s terrible for the children of Long Beach,” Peder Larsen, vice president of TALB, said in an interview. “If you’re laying off people, that means we’re going to have less services in our schools. I’m not just talking about academics, I’m talking about educating the whole child, which is a complete package that I believe we do offer now, but it’s going to get harder and harder if we lose people. So, no layoffs is our message.”
If the district were lay people off, notices would have to be given out in the spring, Larsen said.
As part of this annual cycle, school have received their staffing allocations to help prepare for the upcoming year. But to date, the district has not issued any layoff notices to employees for the 2026-27 school year, according to an LBUSD spokesperson. Staffing allocations occur every year and allow schools to align resources with enrollment, campus needs and available funding.
“We understand that conversations about staffing can create uncertainty,” an LBUSD statement said. “The district remains committed to clear communication and will support employees through the annual placement process.”
To keep the community informed, the district created a public budget webpage where updates, board materials and financial reports are posted.
Reaching fiscal stability — amid significant enrollment decline, reduced revenue and the anticipated loss of federal resources — will require short- and long-term strategies to enable the district to maintain its focus on educational achievement, according to the district’s most recent update.
Beginning in the next academic year, school staffing will be aligned with projected enrollment for the budget year, according to the update. Site-level, enrollment-based staff – including teachers, assistant principals, counselors, instructional office assistants and campus assistants – is expected to be reduced by about $13 million because of anticipated enrollment decline, the update said.
The district has also started taking steps to increase its savings. Last week, for example, LBUSD announced the closure of Hoover Middle School, which will enable the relocation and expansion of Keller Middle School’s Spanish dual immersion program. It is the second in a series of school closures designed to support more efficient use of district resources, officials said. The closure is estimated to generate at least $700,000 in annual savings.
LBUSD will continue preparing for the 2026-27 school year as part of a multiyear budget stabilization effort, an LBUSD spokesperson said. This plan reflects statewide trends, including declining enrollment and reduced state revenue, which are affecting districts across California.
“Our work remains focused on maintaining strong learning environments for students,” the district’s statement said, “and supporting schools as they plan for next year.”
At a time when there is a national educator shortage, TALB representatives said, the district should be focused on investing in teachers and not pushing them out of schools.
Mayor Rex Richardson and representatives from state Sen. Lena Gonzalez’s office showed their support to the union during the rally.
“We are here to support you through this moment to figure (how) we lead in a way that uplifts and keeps our communities whole, because at the end of the day, we’re all in this together,” Richardson said during the rally. “All of our children, our parks, our librainas, our neighborhoods, our city employees, all of us are in this together.”
Teachers and other district employees said they all hoped the rally would send a message to the district’s Board of Education, administrators and community that layoffs would have a negative impact on students — and Long Beach generally.
“This is the community; we are the largest employer in this city. If we have layoffs, it’s going to cause ripple effects through our city,” said Poly High teacher Annette Quintero, “a city that already is housing unstable, a city where it’s too expensive to live, and we’re having declining enrollment as a result of losing those students. So now you’re going to lay off more people? It’s just a chain reaction.
“Teachers, staff, our union loves this community and we love our students,” Quintero added. “Loving our students means we have to fight for public education and for every job.”