Superintendent says 38 FTEs will be cut; district plans to use attrition and reassignment where possible

Superintendent Branham told the Richardson ISD Board on April 2 that a standard staffing model tied to campus enrollment will be implemented and that 38 full‑time equivalent positions (FTEs) will be cut for 2026–27.

“There will be 38 full time equivalent positions that will be cut for 26, 27,” Branham said. She emphasized that the district reviewed vacancies and would attempt to use attrition first. "Some of these positions have been vacant," she said, noting HR will meet with affected employees individually and attempt to find alternate roles in the district.

Branham said the staffing model is a benchmarking exercise common to many districts and intended to align staff allocations with current student counts. She added the district intends to implement the model at elementary and secondary campuses and to work with principals and campus leadership on individualized plans.

The presentation also flagged a possible change to the secondary schedule: moving away from an expensive block schedule (double‑blocking courses and athletics) toward a more traditional seven‑ or eight‑period day to realize further savings over one to two years. Branham cautioned that realizing full savings from schedule changes could take up to two years and depend on attrition rather than immediate layoffs.

Board members praised staff for transparency and asked for specifics about which departments and roles would be affected; Branham declined to list individual roles publicly, saying staff would be notified privately first.

Trustees and the superintendent said the district will prioritize the North Star goals of keeping students and staff at the center of decisions and will return with implementation details at a later meeting.