LOS ANGELES, March 11 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Unified school board voted Tuesday to send layoff notices this week to 5,500 teachers and 3,500 administrators and other staff.
About 2,000 of the teachers to receive the preliminary notices are permanent staff in elementary schools while the others are probationary teachers, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The district, the second largest in the country, is trying to deal with a budget gap expected to reach $700 million in the next year and a half. Superintendent Ramon Cortines said the financial situation could become worse.
"If the revenue continues to be in the tank, we believe we will take another hit," he said.
Los Angeles also has offered early retirement packages to senior teachers. Because seniority rules require the youngest and lowest-paid teachers must be laid off first, that means deeper cuts in numbers. About 2,000 people so far have accepted early retirement.
