Over 200 people to be laid off by Robbinsdale schools in effort to make up budget shortfall (2025)

The Robbinsdale school district is set to lay off over 200 people to make up for an approximate $21 million budget shortfall.

Superintendent Dr. Teri Staloch announced the layoffs in a written message to members of the district on March 28.

According to the message,182 school staff members will be impacted. That includes 150 teaching roles.

"A lot of probationary teachers have lost their positions, and it's literally from early childhood all the way through our adult basic ed, and K-12 in between," Peter Eckhoff, the president of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers, Local 872, said.

The cuts are also expected to result in larger class sizes. Kindergarten classes could have up to 25 students, fifth grade classes may reach 31, and high school classes could have 28 students per class.

Once again, we don't feel we have the resources we would truly desire if we were going to meet all the needs of all our students," Eckhoff said.

Last month, over 24 staff members at the district's Education Service Center were notified that their positions were being eliminated, the message said. That includes executive directors, program directors, program assistants, teachers on special assignment and an office employee with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees.

The Education Service Center is the district's administrative building.

"It's important to understand that not all of these are the result of budget reductions—many reflect routine, annual staffing changes due to enrollment changes, licensure, program shifts, or non-renewals unrelated to budget," Staloch said.

The district estimates the cuts amount to between $13 million and $15 million.

"These reductions are incredibly difficult—and they are not made lightly," Staloch said.

District leaders say they discovered the roughly $21 million deficit in 2024 while looking at the budget. At that time,total revenues were around $200 million, made up of $180 million in general revenues and $20 million in compensatory funding. The $20 million was somehow counted twice.

In response to the budget shortfall, the school board discussed a range of measures at a meeting on April 7, including layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to transportation services. The district also cited inflation, underfunded mandates, and evolving educational needs as contributing factors to the budget crisis.

In an effort to save on transportation costs, the district will no longer provide bus service for elementary students within 0.8 miles and middle school students within one mile of their schools. Additionally, school bell times will be adjusted, including a major change for Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion, which will begin two hours later than before.

Parents, such as April Anderson, continue to express concern about the changes.

"It's hard to keep wanting your child to go to a district if they are going to be missing out on so many things," Anderson said.

In November 2024, district leaders mentioned a future referendum as another way to make up the deficit.

In:
• Robbinsdale News