East San Jose Schools to Lay Off Managers
Amid ongoing budget constraints, East San Jose's school district is adding managers to its layoff list. The move is part of a broader effort to address financial challenges and streamline administrative operations in the district.
The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees voted on February 26, 2026, to approve the layoffs of several classified management and executive administrative positions. The unanimous vote for classified management included the elimination of the chief of communications, coordinator of student information systems, and network and systems supervisor roles. A narrower 3-2 vote also approved layoff notices for two executive administrators, with trustees Corina Herrera-Loera and Minh Nguyen dissenting. The vote to cut these administrative roles occurred during a special board meeting held late in the evening, which some board members questioned. These management reductions are a component of the district's strategy to address a more than $8 million budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year. Projections show the shortfall increasing to $9.5 million in the 2027-28 academic year, largely due to the expiration of grant funding. This round of layoffs follows previous cuts affecting up to 38 classified employees, including bus drivers, custodians, and child nutrition assistants. The district must issue formal notices to all affected employees by a March 15 deadline. The budget crisis is rooted in a significant drop in student enrollment and the end of one-time federal COVID relief funds. The district's student population has decreased from over 10,000 in the 2015-16 school year to approximately 7,270 in 2024-25. These measures come two years after the board voted to close six schools in an attempt to manage a then-$20 million budget deficit. District officials state the focus of the current cuts is on the district office to minimize the impact on school sites.
