Pajaro Valley Unified school board to consider nearly 160 layoffs at Thursday meeting

Quick Take

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board will weigh nearly 160 proposed layoffs, including arts teachers, mental health clinicians, counselors and dozens of special education staff — cuts union leaders say would “devastate” students. Teachers union president Brandon Diniz said he was “gutted” by the detailed proposal released Friday and plans to rally with workers ahead of the meeting.

Of the nearly 160 full-time-equivalent positions the Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board is considering for layoffs at its Thursday meeting, there’s one choir teacher, 30 elementary multiple subject teachers and dozens of special education staff.

After the school district published the most detailed list of proposed reductions yet with the meeting agenda late Friday evening, teachers union president Brandon Diniz told Lookout on Monday he was devastated to see the plan and still opposes it.

“I was gutted when I first saw it. It kind of knocked me off balance,” he said. “It shows that this district is going backwards on their commitments, particularly to mental health and the arts.”

The district is recommending that the school board approve cutting one band teacher, one choir teacher, one theater arts teacher and one video production teacher. The board will also consider cutting all 13 of its mental health clinicians and 15 counselors.

In addition to the arts teachers and mental health positions, PVUSD officials proposed cutting 25 full-time-equivalent behavior technicians and 15 full-time-equivalent instructional assistants in special education classrooms with students with mild to moderate and moderate to severe needs. Diniz told Lookout the cuts to special education staff will “devastate” those students.

The board will vote on two lists of layoffs: one for classified workers and another for certificated. Classified employees include mental health clinicians and counselors, while certificated include all staff with a teaching credential.

Last month, the district released its initial proposal for the layoffs, but Friday’s agenda showed a more detailed breakdown of the cuts.

Diniz said the teachers union and the classified union, which represents mental health clinicians and instructional assistants, among others, will be holding rallies outside of district schools on Wednesday and Thursday. PVUSD workers will also be rallying outside of the Watsonville City Council chambers on Thursday before the start of the board meeting.