- The U.S. Department of Education has recently announced it is laying over almost 50% of its workforce
- Locally there is a lot of uncertainty about possible impacts. Teachers are concerned and Leon County Schools is waiting for guidance from the Florida Department of Education.
- Watch the video to find out how LCS is already working to mitigate potential consequences and to hear from educators.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Federal layoffs have reached the United States Department of Education. It has teachers across the country questioning what the education system might look like, including here in Leon County.
While lots of uncertainty still exists about what local impacts could look like, Leon County Schools tells me they're preparing.
One of the latest government cost cutting efforts from Washington D.C., reducing the Department of Education's workforce by almost 50%.
The announcement, coming last week has local Leon County teachers questioning what a future in education looks like.
"Folks are wondering do we have a job next year," said Scott Mazur, President of Leon Classroom Teacher's Association. "They're wondering what resources will our students have. There's a lot of concern for the kids."
Mazur added the the uncertainty over possible impacts doesn't help. He said the cuts are demotivating and could contribute to driving high quality teachers out of the industry.
"This is going to be really affecting a lot of different places in our lives that we don't even understand and will have ripple effects later on," said Mazur. "The question is what person do you want teaching your child that will spend the mass majority of the day with that person. If we want the best of the best, we have to make a fertile ground for those people to be here."
Leon County Schools said they have received nothing official yet about what changes we could see.
"Do not be afraid right now, do not worry that services are going to end and your children are not going to be able to receive lunch," said Chris Petley, Communications Coordinator and Media Relations for LCS, adding the district is planning around their priorities.
"The Superintendent believes in ensuring that all of our funding goes directly to the classroom and goes to salaries," said Petley. "There's no extra fat on the bone there."
According to LCS, they receive just about $46 million from federal sources.
Petley said these federal cuts have been a top point of conversation, working out how to streamline budgets to get ahead of any potential impacts.
"Next week, the Superintendent is meeting with all of the district departments to look at what their budgets are going to look like and we can decrease those costs," said Petley.
One concern for schools recently has been the United States Department of Agriculture cutting a program that funded some school lunches.
Leon County Schools says these meals aren't going anywhere.
"The last 3 years alone, the county has offset the costs on the federal funding for our meal programs, so the meal program is going to be there," said Petley.
While we wait to see impacts play out, Mazur said it is important for teachers and parents to stay informed.
"How do you respond to it? You get yourself knowledgeable first of all, then secondly you figure out how can I get involved and what can I do," said Mazur.
Leon County Schools said they are waiting on direction from the Florida Department of Education to understand what local impacts will look like. ABC 27 has reached out to FLDOE for comment.
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