Hundreds Attend EPISD Board Meeting As Trustees Consider Cuts

The fate of hundreds of El Paso School District employees could be determined tonight as trustees look to eliminate hundreds of positions in an effort to save money.

The cuts include more than 250 positions, including academic coaches, and positions in human resources and technology services.

The district estimates it would save $13 million.

Swarms of teachers, administrators and parents made their way inside the board of trustees conference room. There were so many people, some were forced to stand outside.

ABC-7 tried getting district officials to comment on the cuts, but we did not hear back from anyone by deadline.

The president of the El Paso Federation of Teachers, Lucy Clarke, told ABC-7 she hopes these are the last of the cuts.

“It has been severe,” Clarke said, adding she understands the district needs to cut the money in order to meet its budget demands.

Clarke told ABC-7 that the district is required by law to make public any cuts to positions no less than 45 days before the end of the school year. Clarke said that would mean tonight’s board meeting is the last one before that deadline passes, and the last time the board can announce position eliminations.

The EPISD agenda also reads that the board is looking to terminate probationary contracts with teachers. That would include teachers who have worked with the district between one and three years.