Personnel Cuts at Lubbock ISD’s Central Office to be Considered at Special Board of Trustees Meeting Thursday

Budget cuts from the state will result in a reduction of administrators at Lubbock ISD’s central office. The LISD Board of Trustees has called a special meeting for Thursday morning to consider employee reduction at Central Office, and which employment areas will be affected.

State funding to the district is expected to be cut by anywhere between 10 to 27 million dollars annually, prompting the personnel reduction. Those whose positions are eliminated will stay through the end of June, when their contracts are up. The district must notify contract employees no later than 45 days from the last day of instruction if their positions will be eliminated.

LISD Board of Trustees President James Arnold said that it is too early to tell right now if this will be the only round of personnel cuts. Arnold said “I hope this is the only one we have to do, but we’re having to do some scenario planning that takes into consideration worst case, and then catastrophic case, and so I hope this is the only one we have to do, but it may not be.”

Arnold could not comment on the final number of personnel cut or how much money would be saved by the district if the measures are approved. “It’s a moving target right now until we meet Thursday morning and we have the final list in front of us, so it’s a little premature to say exactly what that number is going to be,” Arnold said.

LISD is not alone in having to slash their budget. Arnold elaborated that “There are other school districts considering the same thing across the state, but it’s never easy when you have to meet with somebody and tell them that their job won’t be here next year. That’s a hard decision and a hard meeting to have, although I would agree necessary at this point, but it’s just something that’s a gut-wrenching, hard decision to get to.”