San Diego, CA

San Diego Unified rescinds almost all potential teacher layoffs

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2024

San Diego Unified rescinds almost all potential teacher layoffs

The San Diego Unified School District announced it has rescinded all but nine of the 234 notices of potential layoffs it said it issued to teachers in March.

However, about 60 classified, or non-teaching, employees are still set to be laid off, SDUSD board President Shana Hazan said May 16.

Elementary school teachers, counselors and secondary teachers in English, physical education and social science were spared from being laid off, according to the San Diego Unified teachers union, which had rallied against the cuts over the past several weeks.

To rescind the layoffs, the district struck a deal with the union May 14 to create “student support” jobs at high-needs schools for up to 50 educators who would otherwise be laid off, said Kyle Weinberg, president of the union, the San Diego Education Association. Those student support educators will provide small-group instruction or fill in for early-childhood staffing vacancies in transitional kindergarten classrooms.

The district and the union said the agreement was meant to help preserve staffing stability in schools. The deal also preserves pay levels for the student support teachers, Weinberg said.

Having educators in the student support positions also gives the district flexibility to call on them if regular classroom teaching vacancies open during the school year without having to incur costs of hiring temporary contract staff, Weinberg wrote in a message to union members May 16.

“The superintendent was adamant about this additional flexibility,” he wrote.

In March, the SDUSD board voted to eliminate the equivalent of more than 480 jobs to help close what was projected to be a $94 million budget deficit for next school year. Those jobs included classroom teachers, central office administrators and many kinds of classified jobs, including special-education support, bus drivers, custodians and noon-duty assistants.

The district employs about 12,000 people, and employee costs make up more than 90 percent of its unrestricted budget.

Every year by mid-March, school districts are required by law to issue notices to anyone they may potentially lay off for the following school year, and they have until May 15 to finalize layoffs.

Because mid-March is relatively early in the state budget cycle, districts often are able to rescind many layoffs by mid-May once they get a better idea of their budget outlook for the following school year.

“There’s this mismatch in timing between when we are required to give pink slips, this March 15 date, and the time required to really do the thoughtful financial analysis,” Hazan said.

Besides the union agreement, the district was able to avoid more layoffs because of employee reassignments and transfers to vacant positions, as well as voluntary resignations and retirements, according to Hazan. She also said the district is able to use grant funding and money from restricted funds to help reduce the number.

“The fact that of all the teachers who received layoff notices, there are only nine that remain is a huge testament to the really tireless work that our fiscal and instructional team has done to align our goals for students with available dollars,” Hazan said. ◆

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San Diego, CA

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

Published

11 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

When we think of May, we think of Mother’s Day, blooming flowers, sunny skies, and lots of fun, seasonal events in the city. This month, locals can dine on the creations of James Beard Award-Winning Chefs at Rancho Bernardo Inn, or take advantage of berry season at the annual Vista Strawberry Festival. Theatre lovers can enjoy a showing of Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe, while the San Diego Natural History Museum invites art enthusiasts to view its latest marine-themed exhibit. Grab your tickets and crack open that planner. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

29

Louisiana legend Juvenile, enhances by the live instrumentation of The 400 Degreez Band, will perform career hits and his newest album, Boiling Point, at House of Blues San Diego.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

5/5–6/1

Turning the spotlight on contemporary LGBTQ artists, the inaugural ArtSpectrum 2026 will showcase both the grand and intimate scale of contemporary painters, photographers, and mixed media artists at Village Arts Outreach in Balboa Park.

12–24

The only ordinary element of the San Diego International Fringe Festival is the constant thrill of the extraordinary. Discover a plethora of innovative performances at venues from Pacific Beach to Baja.

5/15–6/14

A Korean-Canadian family balances tradition and assimilation from their Toronto storefront in Ins Choi’s comforting satire Kim’s Convenience, making its local premier at The Old Globe.

5/22–2/2027

Ocean debris will receive a new beginning at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Using repurposed pollution, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea depicts creatively sculpted marine life.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

4/30–5/3

Enjoy fine dining at its finest from a lineup of gastronomic titans during 54 Hours with James Beard Award-Winning Chefs. Savor elegant meals, masterclasses, tastings, and more at Rancho Bernardo Inn.

2

Unlimited bites, regional craft beers, and animal observations are on the menu for San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew (with live music), a culinary evening in support of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

7

Spend An Evening with David Sedaris, humorist, essayist, and best-selling author. Never afraid to point the pen at himself, Sedaris will share old favorites and works in progress in the classic satirical style he’s known for at Jacobs Music Center.

15–17

Say cheese! And toast to the Cheese & Libation Expo. Explore three days of all-you-can eat and drink fare at BRICK, along with boutique shopping and bountiful pairings.

PARTNER CONTENT

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu…

16

Stroll the private grounds of several luxurious homes, accompanied by live music, tabletop designs, and outdoor artistry, during the Secret Garden Tour, La Jolla Historical Society‘s flora and fauna fundraiser.

24

Vista recalls its days as a strawberry-producing superpower through its free Strawberry Festival. Wear your berry best fit, watch film screenings, and enter contests for shortcake, pie, and sundae indulging.

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San Diego, CA

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Published

12 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Last week Mayor Todd Gloria released the budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal budget. Protected homeless services is among his top priorities mentioned in the proposal. However, some of the reductions he’s proposing could impact thousands of San Diegans experiencing homelessness.

Located on 17^th and K Street, the Neil Good Day Center offers an array of services to nearly seven thousand people experiencing homelessness. The services include giving them a place to shower and do laundry, and connecting them to a case manager, among others.

“These are critical services that are helping people off the streets, but really better their lives and their health and their employment situation as well,” Deacon Vargas with Father Joe’s Villages said.

Deacon Jim Vargas heads Father Joe’s Villages, which runs the center. He said through their prevention and diversion strategies, they’ve managed to keep nearly one thousand individuals from falling into homelessness.

“So by helping them pay rent, or helping them with their utilities, or helping them to reunite with family,” Vargas said.

Right now, the city allocates at least $850,000 per year to the Neil Good Day Center, according to Vargas.

But the future and funding for these services are in limbo because of Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget cuts.

“The impact to those whom we’ve been serving the Daily Center would be very severe,” Deacon Vargas said.

In a statement to NBC 7, Mayor Todd Gloria said in part, “We must find more efficient and cost-effective ways to address this crisis and prioritize funding for programs that provide shelter beds and maximize resources to programs that place people into permanent housing.”

Since it’s still at a proposal stage, Deacon Vargas said it’s unclear how the city will decide to move forward.

However, Deacon Vargas said services would be significantly reduced because they would be forced to operate solely on a budget of about half a million dollars they receive from philanthropy.

“The hours would be cut. Some days would be cut. We would have showers that might be impacted because they’re given seven days a week and we’d close two days a week, then the showers would be five days a week, the case management,” Deacon Vargas said.

Deacon Vargas is certain of one thing.

He would like to continue offering services at the Day Center, even if the city goes through with the funding cuts.

“As we work with individuals at the Day Center and at Father Joe’s Villages, the community becomes healthier as a result of it,” Deacon Vargas said.

The budget also recommends additional cuts to homeless services, but does not give specifics as to where those cuts would be.

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