State lawmakers in California are challenging the Santa Clara County Office of Education's decision to lay off around 300 teachers, particularly affecting low-income preschoolers and special education students. The lawmakers criticized the Board of Education for overspending on legal fees while possessing a healthy budget, questioning the necessity of the layoffs. They highlighted unanswered queries about the financial decisions leading to these cuts and expressed concern for the impact on vulnerable student populations. Board President Maimona Afzal Berta indicated an interest in maintaining affected programs but faced scrutiny over transparency.
The letter from state lawmakers questions the justification of layoffs, noting that the county holds a positive budget certification and has historically managed surplus funds.
Formal requests for financial information went unanswered, raising concerns about the decision-making process and the impact of layoffs on vulnerable student populations.
Board President Maimona Afzal Berta stated they are exploring options to preserve affected programs, yet the lack of transparency on layoffs has raised significant scrutiny.
Lawmakers accused the Board of Education of overspending on legal fees while cutting essential teaching positions, questioning the financial prudence of their decisions.
Collection
[
|
...
]