Unlike the Federal Government which doesn’t have to balance its budget and has the ability to print money, state governments must balance their budgets every year.
“The art of taxation is like plucking a goose so as to provide the largest quantity of feathers with the least amount of hissing.” Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the Minister of Finances in France, 1665-1683
The Covid-19 crisis forced states and countries to spend money they hadn’t planned on and made them go into “rainy day” funds or go into deficit spending. Many states will have to make up that money or hope that the federal government will bail them out. It appears that politicians feel that cutting educational services like K-12 education and libraries will cause the least amount of squawking. There isn’t talk of cutting the police, fire services, public hospitals or municipal construction which are viewed as “essential services”.
Teacher layoffs have already started.
According to CBS News in Sacramento, California (March 5, 2021) Sacramento City Unified is considering cutting more than 130 teachers after the school board approved that many pink slips ahead of possible lay-offs. In Placer County, those slips are already going out to staff. The budget cuts are being blamed on the virus and the possibility that large numbers of children will not reappear for in person learning when schools reopen. Layoffs are now being considered in Gilbert, Arizona and Issaquah, Washington.
How will the layoffs take place?
The youngest and most vulnerable young people will be the first affected – that includes minority teachers of color and beginning teachers.
Teachers in Alberta, Canada have already received layoff notices. Even though there will be an additional 2,400 students, the Edmonton Public Schools will lay off over 2,100 support staff. Despite 6,000 substitute teachers will be dismissed. as well as 178 teachers – that’s 3% of their teaching staff. Despite that there will be an additional 2,400 students. That represents the philosophy of “doing more with less.
Schools have endured one of the most tumultuous years in their history. Actions taken by governors, state legislatures, Secretaries or Ministers of Education, and school superintendents will determine if that tumult continues or was simply an anomaly.