Seattle school layoffs much less than in '09

Pink slips will go to 25 teachers and 11 elementary-school counselors in Seattle schools this week.

Seattle Public Schools announced Wednesday that it will dismiss those employees effective next fall.

The numbers are smaller than last year, when the district laid off 161 teachers, counselors and other school personnel.

School officials say they are trying to minimize layoffs, and decided against sending pink slips to an additional 42 teachers without positions for the fall. That's because they think there is a good chance that jobs will open up through retirements and other departures.

Seattle School Board members have urged the district to lay off as few people as possible. To be safe, many Washington school districts often lay off many teachers in May that they end up rehiring. That's because state law requires districts to notify teachers of any layoffs in mid-May, months before they pass their final budgets.

Last year, for example, Seattle Public Schools rehired all but 27 of the 161 who were dismissed, largely with money they received after mid-May under the federal stimulus package. This year, however, the district won't receive such a big infusion of money.

The teachers who will get layoff notices this week work in middle and high schools and include two art teachers, six teachers in career-technical education, three in history/social studies, 10 in language arts, and four in physical education.

In all, the district will save about $3.1 million by eliminating the 36 positions.

In March, the district also dismissed 85 people from its central office, including about 17 managers.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com