Santa Ana Unified considers laying off hundreds after $187 million budget shortfall
The Santa Unified School District is considering hundreds of layoffs amid a budget shortfall and declining enrollment.
According to Mayor Valerie Amezcua, the district may lay off 280 teachers and counselors to address its $187 million budget shortfall. It partially attributes the layoffs and budget shortfall to a 5% drop in enrollment caused by declining birth rates and higher cost of living in Orange County, including Santa Ana.
"As elected officials representing the City of Santa Ana, we believe declining enrollment at Santa Ana Unified can, in part, be explained by recognizing that the city's population has steadily decreased over the past two decades," Amezcua wrote in a statement.
From 2000 to 2020, Santa Ana's population decreased by 28,000 people, according to Census data. Additionally, Orange County saw a 0.9% decline in enrollment between the past two school years.
Amezcua also attributed the drop in enrollment to parents choosing different educational options since "Santa Ana Unified does not meet their needs."
"In today's educational landscape, where families have more choices, more students are opting for other available pathways," Amezcua wrote.
She said parents are concerned about the "lack of quality education in core subjects" and bullying at Santa Ana campuses.
She urged the district to prioritize core subjects and implement personalized learning plans for students, while also engaging with teachers and parents to understand why they opted out of the district.
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