Oakland Unified board approves layoff notices and position eliminations as staff outline $65 million stabilization plan

The Oakland Unified School District board voted Feb. 25 to issue notices of layoff and approve eliminations of certificated positions after staff presented a fourth progress report on a financial stabilization implementation plan that identifies roughly $65,000,000 in shifts, reductions and ongoing changes.

District staff told the board the $65 million package includes fiscal shifts to restricted funds, central-office reductions and operational efficiencies intended to avert a deeper fiscal shortfall. The presentation said about 200 full-time equivalent central office positions have been reduced as part of earlier actions and that the district expects to issue reduction notices and seek a qualified state budget certification next month.

Superintendent Sadler and finance staff framed the actions as necessary to preserve local control and avoid school closures, saying the reductions aim to protect most school sites and student-facing services where possible. The staff presentation also outlined workforce realignment measures, including a retirement incentive and reductions-in-force to align staffing with projected enrollment declines.

Public speakers — including students, parents, principals and union leaders — urged the board to preserve counselors, nurses, community schools managers, teachers on special assignment and other student-facing positions. School nurses said the district currently has about 30 nursing FTE with two vacancies, meaning some nurses cover multiple sites, and warned eliminating nursing positions would increase safety risk and reliance on expensive contract nurses.

After public comment and board discussion, the board took separate roll-call votes.

- On the classified layoff notices (item S-3), the motion passed on roll call: Latta, Williams, Thompson, Vice President Batchelor and President Brohard voted yes; Directors Hutchinson and Berry voted no; Student Director Smith voted no; one student director was absent. The board adopted language directing the superintendent to prioritize restoration of student-facing positions should new or ongoing funds be identified after the district’s second interim report.

- On the certificated eliminations (item S-4), the motion passed with five yes votes, one no and one abstention. The motion includes similar language that if new or ongoing funds are identified, the superintendent should recommend restorations that prioritize attendance, safety and academics.

Board members were sharply divided in the debate. Some said the district had to "stop the bleeding" and move quickly to produce numbers the county would accept; others said the board had not been given an actionable, costed plan and criticized the timing and process. Several directors reminded the board that state and county deadlines meant staffing changes must be approved by mid-March to take effect for the 2026-27 school year.

The board also approved a second amendment to an early-retirement (PARS) incentive intended to encourage voluntary retirements that could reduce required layoffs, and authorized an extension of enrollment for employees already eligible to participate.

The board’s actions do not yet restore eliminated positions; they authorize the issuance of layoff notices and position eliminations under board policy while directing the superintendent to return with recommendations if additional funds emerge. The superintendent and staff said they will return with more detailed implementation steps as the district moves through its second interim reporting and budget adoption timeline.