12-03-2025
Teacher of the year among hundreds getting cut from Santa Ana USD
The Brief
The Santa Ana Unified School District has begun laying off teachers and staff due to budget cuts.
Nearly 400 staff members, including teachers and counselors, face the chopping block.
One teacher who has already received their notice, is Teacher of the Year Noelle Carney Campbell.
SANTA ANA, Calif. - Dozens of community members gathered in Santa Ana on Tuesday night to speak out against massive layoffs to the Santa Ana Unified School District staff, as the district faces a budget crisis.
What we know
Nearly 400 teachers and counselors in the district could be fired, as the district faces massive budget cuts. District officials say the district is facing a nearly $200 budget deficit.
Last week, the district started informing some of those who are being laid off.
Dozens of people showed up to protest ahead of the School Board meeting on Tuesday night with shirts and signs that read "I am not a number" and "I have a name."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Santa Ana Unified schools face layoffs amid budget crisis
More layoffs are expected this week. One of those who has already gotten their notice is Teacher of the Year Noelle Carney Campbell.
What they're saying
"Can someone please just explain to me how the teacher of the year gets laid off," Campbell said in a frustrated Instagram post.
She spoke to FOX 11 on Tuesday. "I'm devastated," she said. This is my dream job. Santa Ana is the lowest income, highest minority population school district in Orange County. We don't need to be cutting services, we need to be increasing services.
The backstory
Most students in the district qualify for the assisted lunch program, making cuts more difficult. Officials say the biggest factor for the cuts is declining enrollment, with many families being priced out of Santa Ana.
"They're moving up north to central California," said Ron Hacker, the district's Chief Business Officer. "They're moving east to the Inland Empire. They're moving out of state."
The Source
Information in this story is from interviews with teachers and protesters at the Santa Ana School District and Santa Ana USD Chief Business Officer Ron Hacker.
