Oakland School Board votes against layoffs and campus mergers for 2023-24

Teachers and school staff in Oakland have experienced budget cuts for now after the Oakland Unified School District Board voted Tuesday night against proposed layoffs and school mergers for the 2023-24 school year.

The trustees rejected two proposals, one to cut staff at the schools and another to merge 10 campuses, both for the 2023-24 school year.

School Board Director Mike Hutchinson, who voted in favor of the budget proposals, argued that the cuts were necessary due to declining enrollment. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the district has lost approximately 2,000 students. Also, as the additional COVID funding expires, less money comes in.

“I am very disappointed that the board did not approve the budget adjustment package,” Hutchinson said in an email to NBC Bay Area. “This puts the OUSD in a difficult position in terms of re-prioritising our budget on the 23-24.”

Board member Sam Davis, who voted for teacher layoffs, told City Hall earlier this week that the OUSD is not in a financial crisis but needs to cut spending to increase remaining teachers and staff, Oaklandside said.

The council has until March 15 to give notice of any potential layoffs, with its next meeting on March 8, Oaklandside said.