ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Anchorage School District will lay off 55 employees, including 35 teachers and 20 support staff, before the 2012-2013 school year to comply with city budget constraints.
ASD spokesperson Heidi Embley says the cuts come after 135 teachers were displaced and moved to other classrooms, since federal and state law requires teachers to be “highly qualified” in their content areas.
“Once teachers were placed in areas in which they are qualified and where space was available, 35 non-tenured teaching positions remained and those educators, mostly at the middle and high school level, are receiving layoff notices,” Embley said in a statement Tuesday.
Superintendent Carol Comeau, who is also leaving at the end of this school year to be replaced by incoming superintendent Jim Browder, expressed regret at the cuts Tuesday.
"This is a very sad time because we are losing some incredible educators and staff who have given valued service to our students and our school district," Comeau said. "I am hopeful that over the next few months some of the people will be able to be recalled into a position."
