EPISD board member, teacher union president address concerns ahead of Tuesday’s board meeting
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Ahead of next week's El Paso Independent School District board meeting to decide if the district cuts more than 400 EPISD jobs, ABC-7 spoke today with Dr. Jack Loveridge, Vice President of the board and Ross Moore, El Paso Federation of Teachers President.
EPISD has just released a new agenda for the special meeting scheduled for June 2, listing the positions that could be affected if the item in question is approved.
ABC-7 reported that the EPISD Board of Trustees is considering cutting 400 positions: 210 campus-level roles and approximately 160 jobs at central offices.
EPISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Lusk recommended this measure to the Board to declare a state of financial exigency, which would allow expense reductions and save the district $17 million in campus-level positions and another $11 million in central office positions.
In the agenda item states:
"A reduction in force takes place after the Superintendent recommends, and the Board adopts, a resolution declaring financial exigency. A determination of financial exigency constitutes sufficient reason for nonrenewal or sufficient cause for discharge. Under Board Policy DFFA (Local) when a reduction in force is to be implemented, the Superintendent shall recommend the employment areas to be affected. It is recommended that Board designate the following employment areas to be affected by the Reduction in Force Due to Financial Exigency:
Probationary Contracts Years 1, 2, and 3 employees unassigned or in temporary staff teacher positions."
The agenda item includes a list of campuses and/or departments considered for job cuts and for probationary contracts, Years 1 and 2, which includes:
- Andress High School
- Austin High School
- Barron Elementary School
- Bliss Elementary School
- Bobby Joe Hill PK-8
- Bowie High School
- Brown Middle School
- Burges High School
- Canyon Hills Middle School
- Chapin High School
- Clendenin Elementary School
- Coach Archie Duran Elementary
- Coach Wally Hartley PK-8
- Coldwell Elementary School
- Coronado High School
- Delta Academy
- Don Haskins PK-8
- Dr. Josefina V. Tinajero PK-8
- El Paso High School
- Franklin High School
- Guerrero Elementary School
- Hart Elementary School
- Hawkins Elementary School
- Herrera Elementary School
- Hillside Elementary School
- Hornedo Middle School
- Irvin High School
- Jefferson High School
- Lamar Elementary School
- Logan Elementary School
- Magoffin Middle School
- Milam Elementary School
- Moreno Montessori
- Moye Elementary School
- Park Elementary School
- Polk Elementary School
- SPED Instructional Services
- Telles Academy
- Tippin Elementary School
- Tom Lea Elementary School
- Torres Elementary School
- Whitaker Elementary School
- Wiggs Middle School
- Young Women’s Academy
- Zach White Elementary School
Previous schools would be directly impacted if the item is passed, with the following teaching positions and titles as well:
- Academics - Advanced Academics, Facilitator Planetarium positions (1 position)
- Academics - Early Childhood Learning, Facilitator Early Childhood Learning positions (1 position)
- Occupational Therapist positions (1 position)
- Diagnostician positions (13 positions)
- High School Graduation Coach positions (10 positions)
- High School Testing Coordinator positions (10 positions)
- Instructional Coach positions (16 positions)
- Special Education Department, Climate Behavior Specialist positions (8 positions)
- Strategic Planning, Analytics, & Accountability Department, Coordinator Assessment positions (1 position)
- Strategic Planning, Analytics, & Accountability Department, Coordinator Accountability position
- Master Social Worker Bilingual positions (4 positions)
- School Psychologist positions (3 positions)
- School Psychologist Bilingual positions (1 position)
Watch the full story tonight on ABC-7 at 4, 5 and 6 p.m.
