Long Beach Unified School District to lay off hundreds amid budget crisis

Temporary workers, including teachers, to lose jobs as district faces $158 million deficit by 2028-29

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Hundreds of contracted workers, alongside 54 classified employees, will be laid off from their Long Beach Unified School District jobs after the Board of Education approved the action. The district is facing immense budgetary pressures, including an operating deficit, declining enrollment, and increased costs that have pushed it into deficit spending projected to top $158 million by the 2028-29 school year.

Why it matters

The layoffs will impact key staff members like teachers, psychologists, and nurses, leading to reduced services for students and support for remaining teachers. The district's financial troubles highlight the challenges facing many school systems dealing with declining enrollment, rising costs, and uncertain state funding.

The details

The bulk of the layoffs will impact 515 temporary certificated employees, including teachers, psychologists, nurses and other staff. Another 54 classified employees, including librarians, office assistants, and instructional aides, will also be laid off. The district cites declining enrollment, increased costs, and the expiration of pandemic-era funding as driving the budget crisis.

  • The Board of Education approved the layoffs during its Wednesday, February 18, 2026 meeting.
  • The layoffs will take effect at the close of the current 2025-26 school year.

The players

Long Beach Unified School District

A large public school district serving the city of Long Beach, California.

Jill Baker

The outgoing superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District, who described the situation as a "grave situation" during the board meeting.

Peder Larsen

The vice president of the Teachers Association of Long Beach, which represents over 3,700 district workers.

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What they’re saying

“These people aren't being let go because their services aren't needed, because we really do need them. The kids need them, the schools need them.”

— Peder Larsen, Vice President, Teachers Association of Long Beach (Press-Telegram)

“First of all, it is always hard to reduce staff in an organization that fully depends on staff to change the lives of students, and that is true for certificated and classified staff. And so there's nothing about tonight that feels other than a grave situation that we face, and I have deep empathy for those who may be impacted by the changes that you have to take action upon tonight.”

— Jill Baker, Outgoing Superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District (Press-Telegram)

What’s next

The district plans to continue advocating for more stable state funding and implementing its Fiscal Prioritization and Stabilization Plan to reduce spending by at least $50 million by the start of the 2026-27 school year.

The takeaway

The layoffs at Long Beach Unified School District highlight the difficult budget decisions facing many school systems as they grapple with declining enrollment, rising costs, and uncertain state funding. The situation underscores the need for sustainable, predictable education funding to support students and teachers.