Massive number of Attleboro teachers expected to be laid off
By Bianca Buono
@BBuonoABC6
More than 60 teachers in Attleboro are expected to be laid off due to problems with the budget. The individual teachers getting laid off haven’t been told yet. It’s one of the largest layoffs the area has ever seen.
"It’s rough. It’s been a very, very tough 36 hours for everyone involved that’s for sure,” said Stephen Withers, the chairman of the Attleboro School Committee.
Withers said they’ve been seeing this coming for months because the school’s budget is growing, but funding on the state and local level is not.
"We have a level service budget needed this year of $73.5 million approximately. We’re expecting due to the governor’s budget and what we expect to receive from the city to only receive about $69.5 million, which is a $4 million gap,” said Withers.
The layoffs are expected to save $2 million of that gap.
In addition to the 64 teachers, 12 teachers aides, three custodians, and five clerical positions are also at risk. Withers says, however, those numbers are the worst case scenario.
Along with the massive number of layoffs comes an increase in class size. Currently, classes average 24 to 27 students. With these cuts, that number goes up to 33 to 35.
The school department doesn’t have to notify the teachers that will be laid off until June1st, but Withers says they will likely be told next week.
© WLNE-TV 2016
