Fort Worth ISD cutting 133 jobs to make up budget deficit

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FORT WORTH, Texas - FOX 4 has learned Fort Worth ISD is cutting 133 jobs to make up for a budget deficit.

The district says 129 of the 133 jobs that were cut were funded through COVID relief dollars.

That's money districts across North Texas are now no longer receiving.

"It's a shame they had to get to this place of cutting positions," said Steven Poole, the executive director of the United Educator's Association.

The United Educator's Association represents 26,000 public school employees in 43 North Texas school districts.

Like Fort Worth ISD, he said a lot of districts are in a budget crunch this year.

"A lot of districts try to manage their staff by cutting positions if someone retires or resigns and just not filling that position. Fort Worth was the first one to jump out there with true layoffs," said Poole.

Fort Worth ISD provided us with the resolution that outlines which jobs were cut.

The 133 jobs primarily funded through COVID relief funds are from the division of technology, assessment data analysts, freshman success coaches and leadership academy network instructional specialists.

"They eliminated entire classifications of positions so that's hard to eliminate those through retirements and resignations, but they're were big cuts," said Poole. "These are real people with real families and bills to pay."

Poole says Fort Worth ISD and many other districts in North Texas are facing a perfect storm.

"Federal COVID relief funds are going away, student enrollment is declining, and the state has not stepped up for the additional funding for school finance," he said.

Fort Worth Superintendent Dr. Angelica Ramsey spoke to those issues Tuesday.

"They are still tying those dollars to vouchers, and it’s hurting the children of Texas. So I implore every single one of the legislators and our governor to please think of the children of Texas, and have a 5th session, and give public school districts their money," she said.

Fort Worth ISD is also facing a significant decline in enrollment.

Poole says districts also need to do more to attract families back to public schools.

"This should be a wake-up call to the leaders of Fort Worth ISD that we are going to have to do something different," said Poole. "Parents are making other choices than Fort Worth public schools. We need better instruction, we need better student achievement and we need better academic and athletic offerings, so these parents are making Fort Worth ISD their first choice."

Employees will have their jobs through the end of the school year.

The district still needs to hire 200 teachers.

Fort Worth ISD will hold a job fair on March 5 to help affected employees explore other open jobs in the district.