To a chorus of boos, San Diego Unified School District’s board of trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to cut more than 200 classified jobs, in a move expected to lead to layoffs for about 70 people.
The trustees voted unanimously for the cuts, which drew an outcry from school support staff and teachers alike.
Of the 221 positions being cut — which include paraeducators, assistants, clerks, custodians, special-education staff, food service staff and more — 88 are already vacant, the district said. It said another 86 classified jobs would be added.
“I’m voting for this because I believe that we can work together to bring folks already in the system into some of these 86 positions,” said Trustee Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, a former district educator who once had her own job cut before later being called back.
Some staffers whose jobs are cut could be reassigned, with priority given based on seniority; Superintendent Fabiola Bagula expected that to be the case for about half.
Others could leave before the end of the school year.
“We do anticipate that the number of employees who receive a final layoff notice will shrink between now and May,” Bagula said.
But for about 70 people, “there is not a vacancy for them to bump into, or they’re one of the least senior in their given classification,” said Kristine Morshead, the district’s senior executive director of human resources.
Those workers would be laid off in May, barring any changes before then.
The district, which employs around 15,700 people, said the cuts could save it nearly $19 million in annual cost savings because of eliminated positions. It notified bargaining units of the planned layoffs last Thursday.
Under state law, school district staff must be notified by March 15 of potential layoffs, and cuts and reassignments are finalized in May. But further cuts could come over the summer.
Richard Gijon, second vice president of CSEA Chapter 788, speaks to supporters and members of the media ahead of a school board meeting at the San Diego Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
At a rally outside district headquarters ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, leaders with the California School Employee Association, the union that represents classified staff, balked at the cuts.
“CSEA is the backbone of this district, and running it without us would be impossible,” said Dawn Basques, president of the union’s chapter for office-technical and business services. “Stop doing the budget on our backs.”
She said it was especially unfair since no teacher jobs were similarly on the chopping block.
San Diego Unified and its teachers union agreed last month to a tentative contract that would avoid any teacher layoffs. Union members are voting on the contract this month.
“How is that fair?” Basques said. “How is that doing the right thing for our communities and our students?”
One key issue for the San Diego Education Association in its negotiations with the district had been staffing for special education. More than 100 of the classified jobs on the agenda item attachment listed as being cut are paraeducators — among them special education staff.
Jose Sanchez, a CSEA union representative, pointed out in an interview ahead of Tuesday’s meeting that paraeducators must carry a large load when teachers aren’t around or can’t assist.
“We don’t understand why they would be cutting essential positions like that,” he said.
On Tuesday night, teachers were among those who spoke against the cuts.
Stacy Williams, a special education teacher, asked the board of trustees to explore alternatives before cutting direct student support positions.
“I have to say that I will be voting no on that (tentative) agreement,” she said. “You can have my raise. I want my support staff.”
San Diego Unified Superintendent Fabiola Bagula, second from right, and board members Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, Richard Barrera and Sabrina Bazzo listen to people speak out against the decision to lay off classified workers at the San Diego Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Asked about the idea that avoiding teacher layoffs had essentially guaranteed classified job cuts, SDEA president Kyle Weinberg said students need both types of jobs fully staffed.
“We’re here today to deliver a clear message that we need our classified siblings to be fully staffed in order to have the schools that our students deserve,” he said. He also spoke in opposition to the layoffs at public comment.
Board trustee Cody Petterson said that this year’s cuts were necessitated by last year’s raises for both teachers and classified staff.
“When you’re making that decision about whether to have fewer employees that are paid more or more employees that are paid relatively less, you have to keep giving raises — or else your wage does not keep up with inflation, and your workers can’t afford to live,” he said.
Boos came from the audience.
Near the end of the trustees’ discussion, board president Richard Barrera said he didn’t think the district had to choose between paying its workforce a living wage and avoiding layoffs. But he didn’t say where other budget compromises could be found.
“We’re going to be able to move forward, create positions, support people to promote into higher-paying positions,” he said. “People will be actually in better positions than they are now.”
He voted with his colleagues to approve the layoffs.
Members of the public left the meeting after the vote, booing and yelling “shame.”