LA school board lays off 657 employees

(The Center Square) – The Los Angeles Unified School District has approved a cost-cutting plan to lay off 657 employees. Hours may also be reduced for some workers. The district's Board of Education voted 4-3 Tuesday in favor of the layoffs. They're coming at a time in which the nation's second-largest school district faces projected structural deficits of $877 million for the 2026-2027 school year and $443 million for 2027-2028. A spokesperson for LAUSD said the projected deficits are driven by declining enrollment, the expiration of one-time federal relief funds and rising operating costs. “Fiscal oversight authorities have repeatedly warned that continued deficit spending threatens long-term financial stability,” the spokesperson told The Center Square Wednesday. The number of layoffs - 657 employees - amounts to approximately 1% of the 83,000 people employed by LAUSD. The reduction in force focuses primarily on non-school site positions, beginning with employees with the least seni