ORLANDO, Fla. — 98 probationary employees, which are staff that have been hired recently, at Orange County Public Schools could lose their job.
According to a statement from the district, 212 instructional positions were “identified for reassignment,” with over half of them moved for the new school year.
The remaining 98 employees, OCPS says, may be provided with possible opportunities for reassignment but noted there are under 20 vacancies and many of those positions require additional certifications.
“The district remains committed to supporting affected employees throughout this process while ensuring that all classrooms are staffed with appropriately certified educators and that students continue to receive high-quality instruction,” the statement from OCPS said.
The cuts come as Orange County schools have faced significant enrollment declines in the past couple years.
In August, the district reported 7,672 fewer students than last year, with officials saying the drop was driven largely by fewer children enrolling in VPK and a smaller group of incoming students tied to historically low birth rates across the country.
“We are experiencing a declining birth rate. That’s one of the reasons, and that’s really evident when you look at our pre-K numbers and our kindergarten numbers,” Gallo said last month. “Elementary was really the hardest hit.”