Adam Jones (Creative Commons)

News has begun circulating of layoffs by the state-run Little Rock School District to meet the 2020-21 budget.

I don’t have comprehensive budget figures, but the district, which has been losing enrollment, had 2,050 certified employees in the 2019-20 school year. A final number for the coming school year hasn’t been determined, a district spokeswoman said, but she said 78 certified employees had received letters their contracts would not be renewed and 48 interim teachers also were cut. CORRECTION: Bad addition in the original headline, which said 123 instead of 126 workers affected.

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The decisions seem likely to spur complaints about how the non-renewed were chosen.

District officials had said they expected a reduction in positions, but hoped that different assignments and normal attrition might prevent many job losses.

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The district has been balancing its budget in recent years with use of reserve funds. The state has been running the district for more than 5 years and Education Secretary Johnny Key currently serves as the “school board.”

UPDATE: Superintendent Michael Poore, who never called me about this item, told the district advisory board Thursday night that the reporting was misleading because the 48 interim teachers had no contracts and knew they would not be re-employed without applying and being rehired. So, in short, he’d say only 78 were terminated. The others just won’t be rehired. Effect the same: 126 people who worked in district in 2019-20 won’t be working there in 20-21.

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