TEMPE, Ariz. — The Tempe Union High School District Governing Board approved a plan Wednesday to start eliminating dozens of full-time jobs in the next year.
After losing about 2,000 students over the last decade, the East Valley school district was pushed to make difficult financial decisions due to enrollment projections showing that Tempe Union was expected to lose another 2,600 pupils by 2033.
The district determined it needed to cut about $5 million worth of positions from the budget and the school board voted on Wednesday in favor of a plan that will cut about 19 full-time positions from the district office and another 37 full-time positions from schools.
"This is the last thing that I want to vote for but it's the reality that we're in," said board President Armando Montero. "...this is not easy."
School board members got emotional during Wednesday's meeting as they thought about the staff members who will be affected by the budget cuts.
"To the staff that's going to be impacted, we greatly value you," said board member Andres Barraza. "The work that you do is selfless for our community."
The school district plans to disclose which job positions will be cut during Tempe Union's next school board meeting. The district has already cut six positions from the district office this school year.
