San Diego Unified board meeting draws large protest as district advances classified staff layoffs plan

Hundreds turn out as board moves ahead with classified position cuts

A San Diego Unified School District board meeting in early March drew a large crowd of employees, parents and community members as the board voted to eliminate 221 classified positions as part of a budget-balancing plan for the next school year. Classified employees include many campus-based operational roles such as clerical staff, administrative aides and other support positions that help schools function day to day.

District leaders said the action was tied to a projected budget shortfall of roughly $47 million for the coming fiscal year and framed the vote as a preliminary step that triggers a required staffing process rather than a final determination of who will ultimately lose a job.

What the vote does—and what happens next

The board action eliminated 221 classified positions on paper, including 133 positions that are currently filled and 88 that are vacant. District leadership said the goal is to reduce spending by about $19 million through the position eliminations and subsequent staffing adjustments.

Superintendent Fabiola Bagula told trustees the district expects to reassign roughly half of the employees currently working in positions slated for elimination into other roles. After the reassignment process, the district said it anticipates 69 employees will receive preliminary layoff notices during March.

California’s school staffing calendar sets key dates in motion. Districts generally must provide preliminary notices by March 15 to employees who may be released for the following school year, with final layoff notices typically issued by May 15 if cuts are confirmed.

• Positions targeted: 221 classified jobs (133 filled; 88 vacant)
• Estimated savings: about $19 million
• Expected preliminary notices after reassignment: 69 employees
• Key dates in the process: March 15 (preliminary notices), May 15 (final notices)

Public testimony focuses on workload and student services

Public speakers described the proposal as shifting budget pressures onto lower-paid employees and warned that reducing staff could increase workloads in offices and specialized departments. One special education administrative aide told trustees that staffing in her department had fallen substantially over the past decade while responsibilities remained the same, and that additional reductions would further strain services.

District leadership also argued that some functions are changing, including a planned shift to online enrollment rather than processing paper forms, which officials said reduces the need for certain clerical tasks.

Budget uncertainty remains through spring

District officials said the final number of layoffs could end up lower than 69 because of vacancies, retirements, resignations, and potential changes in state funding. The district’s budget picture is expected to remain fluid through the governor’s May budget revision and local budget adoption decisions later in the spring.

At the meeting, multiple speakers urged trustees to reconsider reductions they said would be felt immediately at school sites, particularly in offices and student-support settings.