SYRACUSE -- Threats of layoffs are becoming a reality in the Syracuse City School District.
CNY Central learned Tuesday morning from the Syracuse Teachers Association that 343 pink slips were sent out by the district. According to the STA, the layoff notices were handed out to 93 teachers in art, music, reading, science, foreign language, special education and more. Some 142 teaching assistants and hall monitors are losing their jobs along with ten nurses and 108 administrators and support staff.
You can find the full list of layoffs and read more about the them here.
Two weeks ago we told you how the Syracuse Common Council will soon start discussing the $331 million budget recently passed by the school board. It includes more than 580 job cuts. To avoid even more, 155 school district employees took an early retirement incentive.
School board members plan to meet Thursday to talk about the plan to keep Elmwood Elementary school open, which would result in more layoffs.
Superintendent Dan Lowengard is pushing for a district-wide pay freeze to save more jobs from the chopping block. If the 4,000 district employees approve the one year pay freeze, Suzanne Slack, the district's Chief Financial Officer, says it could save 70 to 80 teaching jobs.
"If there were a wage freeze from the entire STA unit, it would be about a five million dollar savings to the budget. I'm sure you can think of a few things you could do with five million dollars, but hopefully that would save jobs," said Slack.
The Syracuse Teachers Association tells us it is in conversations with the district about the pay freeze, but it has no timeline for a decision.
"I think we have some issues with some of the cuts that are going too far we think, and I think we need to continue these conversations to see if we can work some of that out," said Kevin Ahern of the STA.
Lowengard has said if jobs are saved, the layoff notices will be rescinded.
We are still waiting to find out what is in the state budget for education aid. The state is currently facing a $10 billion deficit, and Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget calls for cuts in education funding.
On April 8th, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner will present the joint city and school budgets to the council. There will be a public hearing and council members will also hear from the school district. The budget will then be voted on in May.
