Another Bay Area school district has approved more employee layoffs. Alum Rock Union Elementary School District leaders met Thursday evening and ultimately approved additional staff layoffs for the district. This action brings the total number of layoffs slated in the district so far for the 2026 -2027 school year to 38. A school district spokesperson explained that the board members voted 3-2 to approve laying off two executive assistant positions, and voted 5-0 to approve the other management positions up for a vote on Thursday. Several school community members stayed at the meeting until 10:45 p.m. to speak in opposition to the plans to lay off the two executive assistant staff members, saying that the two people in those roles are valuable, longtime employees. Of the 38 positions that will be cut, the district said 9 are management positions, and the rest include a variety of staff roles such as bus drivers, school liaisons, health and nutrition assistants, and custodians. According to the latest statistics from the district, it is facing an $8 million budget deficit this school year and a nearly $8 million deficit projected for next year. The district attributes this deficit to a loss in grant funding as well as to declining enrollment.  The district spokesperson said that as of right now, no teacher positions are being cut.  Some of these 38 layoffs had already been approved at prior meetings.  Some current employees, including Regina Cardenas, who works as a Community School Site Specialist at Ocala Middle School, showed up to speak with the board.   Cardenas expressed disapproval for the decision to layoff school liaisons, whom she said she relies on heavily to do her work.  Cardenas said of the layoffs, “It’s a big — I don’t know —   kick to people’s morale, some people were laid off last year and brought back, and it’s kind of happening again.” Two years ago, the district closed six schools. ...read more read less