ESCONDIDO — The Escondido Union High School District board of trustees unanimously approved a series of layoffs that could cost several teachers, office assistants, library clerks, a social worker, a counselor, an assistant principal and others their jobs next year.
To address the district’s projected budget deficit, administrators proposed cutting approximately $8 million over the next two years by reducing classified and certificated staff positions and scaling back capital improvement projects.
Under state law, the district was required to issue layoff notices for the next school year by March 15.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Courtney Goode said the district’s financial outlook for next year remains uncertain, and some layoffs could be reversed in the coming months.
“My hope is to be back in May to hopefully rescind as many layoffs as possible,” Goode told the board at its March 4 meeting.
Despite the proposed $8 million in reductions, district staff said during a February budget workshop meeting that the district would still be deficit spending by at least $10 million by the 2026-27 school year.
The layoffs to certificated employees include one part-time agriculture teacher and full-time positions for a social worker, assistant principal, counselor, physical education teacher, social science teacher, three English teachers and four Spanish teachers.
Classified staff reductions include a part-time campus security role, two part-time clerk positions at Escondido High School, an attendance outreach coordinator, three laboratory classroom assistants, three library clerks and two licensed mental health clinicians.
Additionally, three health office assistants — one each at Escondido, Orange Glen and San Pasqual high schools — will have their hours reduced from 7.5 to 6 per day.
Goode said some positions, including the Escondido High School campus security job and a few clerk and lab assistant roles, were already vacant.
Several teachers, staff members and community members voiced outrage over the layoffs.
“I’m at a loss for words,” said Caroline Potter, a Spanish teacher at San Pasqual High School. “After 25 years of teaching Spanish at the high school and co-secondary level, I am appalled that I actually have to worry about losing my position.”
Potter and others criticized the district’s decision to cut staff despite having $41 million in reserves — well above the board’s 5% reserve requirement and the state’s 3% mandate.
“How can our district, which is sitting on a reserve of $41 million, conceivably propose budget cuts by eliminating permanent teachers like me?” Potter asked board members.
Anna Cady, president of the Escondido Secondary Teachers Association, also criticized the district’s justification for the cuts.
“Let’s be clear: deficit spending districts don’t amass small fortunes of $41 million,” Cady said. “Our district has over 28% of its legally required limits — we’re not deficit spending.”
Goode said financial projections could change following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget revision in May, which may bring “significant changes” to school funding.
Under Newsom’s 2025-26 budget proposal, released in January, Escondido Union High School District will receive a 2.43% cost-of-living adjustment — 0.5% less than previously budgeted.
District officials said Newsom’s proposal is “roughly balanced,” with modest increases in ongoing resources, some flexible one-time funds and fewer new programs or obligations for school districts. The state legislature is reviewing the proposal and must finalize the budget by June 30.
District staff warned of potential financial strains due to risks in the state budget, including stock market volatility, extreme weather events, delayed tax deadlines, high interest rates and federal policy uncertainties. Inflation is expected to peak at 3.3% this year, and potential unemployment increases above 4% could also impact school funding.
Declining student enrollment continues to affect district revenues, staff noted.
Most California school districts, charter schools and community colleges receive funding through Proposition 98, a voter-approved formula. The state’s 2025-26 budget projects that K-12 and community college funding will remain flat at $118.9 billion — $300 million less than the current school year.
The state anticipates that districts will have $1.6 billion in reserves to prevent overfunding.
