"The Jordan School District will cut staff by 500 employees, half of them teachers, and increase class sizes to compensate for an estimated $30 million budget shortfall next school year.
The district has already laid off 200 support staff this year, and further reductions could be necessary, depending on cuts to the state education budget, said district spokeswoman Melinda Colton.
At least 250 teachers will lose their jobs, Colton said, with the remaining 250 layoffs coming from administrative and support staff like nurses, counselors and librarians. Layoffs will be based on seniority."
Jordan downsizing
Jordan, formerly Utah's largest school district, once served 88,000 students and employed 9,500 people. Since July 1 of last year, when the district was nearly halved after formation of the breakaway Canyons School District, it has slowly downsized. Enrollment is now 49,000 students. After the new round of layoffs, the district will have 4,500 employees.
Here's how the district will trim to deal with its $30 million budget shortfall:
Administrative positions » $2.5 million
Eliminating, reducing or changing programs » $11 million
Non-teacher classroom positions » $1 million
Increase class size by four students » $12.5 million
Classified positions » $3 million
Source: Jordan School District