New Rochelle announces 193-position reduction to close $33 million budget gap; community and student leaders urge alternatives

New Rochelle City School District Superintendent Dr. Reynolds told the board that multiple factors produced a $33,000,000 budget deficit and that the district must eliminate 193 positions as part of deficit reduction.

"This has been a very difficult budget year for our school district. Multiple factors have led to a $33,000,000 budget deficit, which we must close. Unfortunately, as part of our deficit reduction, we must reduce our workforce by 193 positions," Dr. Reynolds said during the reconvened public session.

The superintendent said most of the 193 positions were eliminated through natural attrition (retirements, resignations and vacant positions) but that, as of the meeting, 54 full‑time pedagogical and administrative staff and 22 full‑time‑equivalent hourly employees had been or would be notified of layoff. Those employees will remain employed through the school year, which ends June 30, and will be placed on a preferred eligibility list; if a qualifying vacancy opens within seven years, the district said it will contact those employees first.

Dr. Reynolds read a list of affected roles and schools, saying layoffs include district central administration posts (for example, the director of family and community engagement, director of social, emotional and expanded learning; an assistant director of special education; and an assistant director of security), building administrators (two middle‑school deans), and classroom positions across grades and buildings. The superintendent said the district would repurpose a recently vacated director role to an assistant director of world languages instead of creating a new position.

The district emphasized…