LAUSD to Issue Thousands of Layoff Notices Amid Budget Deficit

District officials say no classroom teaching positions are included, while union leaders argue the board should delay action.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is proposing to issue layoff notices to around 2,600 contract management employees and certificated administrators, as well as begin a reduction in force affecting 657 central office and centrally funded classified positions, amid an $877 million budget deficit projected for the 2026-27 school year.

Why it matters

The proposed layoffs highlight the financial challenges facing LAUSD, which is grappling with declining enrollment and the expiration of one-time COVID-19 relief funds. While the district says the cuts do not include any classroom teaching positions, union leaders argue the board should delay action until updated state revenue figures are incorporated into the budget.

The details

The proposal would allow the district to issue March 15 notices to around 2,600 contract management employees and certificated administrators, as well as begin a reduction in force affecting 657 central office and centrally funded classified positions. The district says the total number of employees who will ultimately receive preliminary March 15 or reduction-in-force (RIF) notices has not yet been determined. Labor groups have urged the board to delay action, arguing that recent state tax collections have exceeded projections and the board should wait for updated Proposition 98 funding figures before considering potential layoffs.

  • The district must issue preliminary reduction-in-force notices by March 15 to comply with state law.
  • Final layoff notices would not be issued until later this spring, after required hearings for classified staff and prior to the June 30 deadline.

The players

LAUSD

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest school district in the United States.

United Teachers Los Angeles

The teachers' union representing LAUSD employees.

SEIU Local 99

The union representing classified LAUSD employees such as teacher assistants, bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers.

Associated Administrators of Los Angeles

The union representing LAUSD administrators and managers.

Max Arias

The executive director of SEIU Local 99.

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What they’re saying

“'RIFs throw employees, our families, and our students into a cruel period of uncertainty, stress, and panic,'”

— United Teachers Los Angeles, SEIU Local 99 and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (Letter to the Board of Education)

“'Classified education workers are the backbone of this district. You cannot talk about student achievement while cutting the very adults students rely on every day. If LAUSD truly prioritizes students, it must prioritize the workers who serve them.'”

— Max Arias, Executive Director, SEIU Local 99 (Statement)

What’s next

The LAUSD Board of Education will vote on whether to issue the layoff notices at an upcoming meeting.

The takeaway

The proposed LAUSD layoffs highlight the ongoing financial challenges facing school districts, as they grapple with declining enrollment, the expiration of COVID-19 relief funds, and calls from unions to prioritize investment in the workforce over cuts. The outcome of this decision will have significant implications for LAUSD employees and the students they serve.