Fire, Layoffs, Fewer Pupils: A Struggle to Stay Solvent

Introduction to the Crisis

Pasadena Unified School District, roiled by years of declining enrollment and grappling with the exhaustion of pandemic-era federal funds, needed to slash $12 million from its budget — and the school board had just voted to send out preliminary layoff notices to dozens of teachers. Joy McCreary, a 28-year-old teacher at Blair Middle and High School, was among those who received the notice. She is seven months pregnant and did a simple calculation: “The golden rule is last in, first out. The writing was on the wall. I can do the math, I can count the positions.”

A Battered District

In California, public school funding is largely determined by average daily attendance. So the loss of roughly 33% of its students over two decades has had a slow yet deepening effect on Pasadena Unified’s balance sheet. The district got financial help during the COVID-19 emergency: about $62 million in federal pandemic relief funds. The money paid for efforts to expand Pasadena Unified’s health and wellness program, which grew to include more than 20 teachers, the district said, and allowed it to “ramp up” other services to aid in the recovery from the public health disaster. The funding also bolstered Pasadena Unified’s financial reserves, which allowed it to give teachers raises, the district added. But the money was fully spent by the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Pasadena Unified Supt. Elizabeth Blanco, left, welcomed students back to Don Benito Fundamental School on Jan. 29.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Months of Misery

As spring nears, a bleak annual rite plays out at school districts across California: the delivering of reduction-in-force notices to teachers. State law requires districts to inform teachers about possible staff reductions for the next school year. Sometimes, the notices are rescinded. That was the case for many recipients in Pasadena Unified last year, after most prospective layoffs were avoided. But this year, the Eaton fire has cast a long shadow — especially for teachers who lost their homes.

The Impact of the Eaton Fire

The Eaton fire, which destroyed the homes of roughly 90 Pasadena Unified teachers, according to United Teachers of Pasadena, has exacerbated the district’s financial woes. At least a handful of those fire victims have also been targeted for layoffs, the union said. Micah Alden, a Blair Middle and High School teacher, lost her new house in the fire. She and her husband had bought the property just a few weeks earlier, and it was to have been their quiet haven — a place where they could raise their infant son. Alden, 32, has endured a wrenching kind of sorrow. And yet she still wanted to be at school, with her students.

Odyssey Charter School South, which was situated on a campus owned by Pasadena Unified School District, burned in the Eaton fire.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The Human Cost

For teachers like McCreary and Alden, the layoffs are not just about numbers; they are about the human cost. McCreary is anxious about entering motherhood in flux. “I can’t be without health insurance,” she said. “I can’t be without a stable source of income.” Alden remains anguished, and thinks of McCreary, her friend and fellow Blair teacher. Several of McCreary’s students lost their homes in the Eaton fire. Many were displaced by the conflagration, which saddled some with traumas that could take years to heal. What they need now, she believes, is stability.

Joy McCreary, who has received a layoff notice, worries about being without a stable source of income.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Conclusion

The Pasadena Unified School District is facing a perfect storm of financial woes, declining enrollment, and the devastating impact of the Eaton fire. The layoffs, which total about 150 jobs, nearly 120 of them certificated positions mostly held by teachers, are a necessary step in an effort to avoid insolvency, according to Supt. Elizabeth Blanco. However, the human cost of these layoffs cannot be overstated. Teachers like McCreary and Alden are not just statistics; they are dedicated educators who have invested their hearts and souls in their students.

FAQs

1. What is the main reason for the financial crisis in Pasadena Unified School District?
   • The main reason is the decline in student enrollment, which has resulted in a significant loss of funding.
2. How many teachers have received layoff notices in Pasadena Unified School District?
   • About 120 certificated positions, mostly held by teachers, have received layoff notices.
3. What was the impact of the Eaton fire on the district?
   • The Eaton fire destroyed the homes of roughly 90 Pasadena Unified teachers and exacerbated the district’s financial woes.
4. What is the role of the state’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team?
   • The team helps school districts navigate financial issues and provides guidance on how to demonstrate financial responsibility.
5. What is the potential consequence if the district fails to address its financial issues?
   • The district may be taken over by the state, and the superintendent and board may lose their decision-making power.