The Los Angeles Board of Education is scheduled to vote today on layoffs due to a $700 million deficit in funding. Potentially 9,000 employees could be issued layoff notices in LA, and 20,000 more could lose jobs outside of LA. The layoffs will be based on seniority, and thus affect younger teachers in particular ? a factor that has many concerned that enthusiastic educators will be lost. Districts have attempted to retain newer teachers by offering voluntary retirement packages to older employees. The American Teachers Association is planning protests in response to the layoffs, but is unlikely to support changes in seniority rules.
See "As LAUSD layoffs loom, debate over teacher seniority resurfaces", Jason Song and Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, March 9, 2009