AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Chicago, Illinois-based Chicago Public School District, the governing body of the City of Chicago schools, has announced a reduction in force.

The reduction affected 161 employees, including 67 from the Central Office and Network Offices, and the school district left 209 positions vacant. The decision was driven by the need to fill a projected $734 million budget shortfall.

According to the school district, "Together, we’ve been identifying ways to be more efficient and find cost savings across our central offices and administrative functions, always with the goal of better supporting schools and students. In addition to position reductions, the district has also implemented cuts to contractual services and other non-personnel expenses to further limit the impact on school communities. The District remains committed to open communication moving forward and acknowledges the thoughtful and difficult work undertaken by teams across the organization to ensure these decisions have the least possible impact on students."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SYSTEM

Austin, Texas-based Austin Independent School District, an educational system that operates 116 schools, including 78 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, and 17 high schools, is continuing with its restructuring initiative, which includes a 20% reduction in its central office staff.

The reduction will impact 170+ employees.

According to Superintendent Matias Segura...

Dear Austin ISD family,

Today was a difficult day as I notified our Central Staff of our reorganization. This restructure was necessary to align our administrative functions and reduce administrative costs while acknowledging the size of our district and our current needs.

We educate 73,000 students and every single person in this organization plays a role in their educational experience. The impact of this restructure and every individual affected will be felt.

However, as we work to close our budget deficit, this was a critical step before moving forward with any campus consolidations. Overall, more than 170 employees were impacted by these reductions, including position elimination, reduction in salary and/or reorganization. In total, these changes reflect a more than 20% reduction to Central Office staffing — an approximate savings of $9.6 million.

I recognize this is a very challenging time for our community and I encourage every student, staff and family member within Austin ISD to navigate this with empathy. This restructuring is only one step in a series of difficult conversations and decisions that must be made to ensure our district remains stable and we can maintain our ability to offer the highest quality education.

We are a strong community with strong schools and I know we’ll get through this together. I am confident that we have the commitment and knowledge within our district to create a future for Austin ISD that preserves our values and ultimately supports our greatest asset – our students.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Matias Segura, PE, MBA; Superintendent, Austin ISD

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Indianapolis, Indiana-based Ivy Tech Community College, a public community postsecondary college system, has announced a reduction in force.

The reduction impacts 202 employees, including 38 faculty members, 162 staff, and two administrative faculty across the system's Indiana facilities.

The largest number of layoffs occurred at the college’s Indianapolis campus, which is slated to lose 44 employees. Among the other campus cuts are 21 staff in Indianapolis; 14 each in Bloomington and Columbus; 12 in Kokomo; 11 in Evansville; and 11 in South Bend/Elkhart.

“Because the college’s primary revenue sources are state appropriations, tuition, and fees, these developments have had an immediate effect on our planning. We have reached the difficult decision to adjust our staffing levels, in addition to efforts to reduce our operational expenses. Staffing reductions are always difficult decisions that we do not make lightly. These changes do not reflect the value of their work, but rather the harsh financial reality we currently face. This is a challenging moment for our college, but I know Ivy Tech is strong. I remain confident in our resilience and in our commitment to our students and to one another.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?