Last Sunday, as the deadline for preliminary layoff notices arrived, San Diego Unified began issuing pink slips after the school board voted to cut 221 classified positions to close a looming budget shortfall. The move targets bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and special-education aides, with district leaders saying the cuts would save roughly $19 million. Workers and union leaders packed the boardroom, blasting the plan and vowing to keep fighting it.
Board Vote And The Budget Gap
Earlier this month, the board signed off on a plan to eliminate 221 classified positions, 133 currently filled and 88 vacant, a step the district says will save about $19 million, according to KPBS. San Diego Unified’s own budget documents project about a $47 million deficit for the 2026–27 school year, per San Diego Unified.
Workers And Unions Push Back
Classified employees and their unions rallied outside the district’s central office, then took their anger to the microphone at the board meeting, warning that the plan would hit some of the lowest-paid staff who keep schools running. Cafeteria crews, bus drivers and aides who support students with disabilities are among those bracing for cuts.
“Everything is falling on the backs of classified staff,” Megan Glynn, a special education administrative aide, told Voice of San Diego, which reported on the backlash and internal tensions among union members over how to respond.
How Many People Could Be Affected
The district told reporters it expects roughly 200 classified employees could receive preliminary notices, though only about 70 people are likely to lose their jobs once seniority-based “bumping” rules are worked through, as reported by 10News. Board members and administrators say retirements, vacant positions and reassignments could further shrink the final number of actual separations.
Legal Timeline And Next Steps
Under state law, school districts must issue preliminary layoff notices by March 15 and finalize any layoffs by May 15. That tight calendar often means a wave of early pink slips that later get pulled back as budgets shift and vacancies open up, according to EdSource. San Diego Unified says it plans to look for landing spots inside the system for affected staff and will be watching the governor’s May budget revision before making any final calls, per San Diego Unified.
What Families And Classrooms Should Watch For
Both district leaders and union activists are warning that job cuts could mean heavier caseloads for remaining aides and slower responses for basic school services, especially for students with disabilities who rely on one-on-one or small group support. Parents may not see the impact immediately, but the worry is that fewer hands on campus will eventually show up in longer lines, thinner coverage and more stressed staff…