Layoffs in Houston ISD | khou.com

HOUSTON — Hundreds of Houston ISD employees are scrambling to figure out what to do next after learning they will lose their jobs in just a few weeks.

Those affected include teachers, custodians, maintenance workers, mechanics and other personnel.

Outside HISD headquarters on Friday, a steady stream of workers learned the devastating news just before Mother’s Day weekend.

“You bring them in like a herd of cattle and eliminate their position without giving them all the details,” said Hector Morales, president of Texas Support Staff Employees Local 1.

Morales said the district dropped that bombshell on hundreds of its members Thursday.

“Now they throw me away like an old pair of shoes,” said Anabel, a HISD custodian for 10 years.

Maria Franco has been cleaning HISD schools for 23 years.

“They didn’t even let me retire,” Franco said after receiving his termination papers.

“They are suffering, this is the only check they have to support their family,” said Daisy Lozano, vice president of TSPE Local 1. “How are they going to do that? How are they going to pay their rent, feed their children? Without a job they have nothing.”

HISD has not confirmed how many people have been affected, but unions have said it could be as many as 1,000 staff members or more.

“Short would be the best word, and I wasn’t the only teacher,” José Cantu said.

Cantu taught ESL at HISD for five years until Friday,

“They just cut me off,” he said. “They didn’t say a word to me.”

READ: Houston ISD superintendent defends job cuts, blames end of COVID funding, performance reviews

Union leaders said employees were receiving no real explanation or response.

“People are stunned,” said Wretha Thomas, president of HESP 6315. “They’re really stunned and they don’t understand why.”

The union blames Friday’s mass layoffs on HISD’s mismanagement and warns it will affect all schools in the district.

“That’s the million-dollar question,” Morales said. “We asked them what their backup plan was and they’re not able to answer today. I mean, is management or the superintendent going to help clean up, I don’t think so.”

HISD released this statement in response to questions from KHOU 11 News:

Like most school districts in Texas and across the country, HISD is being forced to make difficult budget decisions for the 2024-2025 school year. Public funding for education has not increased and the one-time money provided by the federal government to support students during and after the pandemic is no longer available. This means HISD must right-size the central office and find ways to operate more efficiently.

Many HISD departments are experiencing downsizing, and this process has continued since January. Superintendent Miles said the district will keep cuts as far away from students and classrooms as possible and continue to invest in our teachers and leaders. The personnel decisions HISD makes will allow us to allocate the district’s limited resources in a way that ensures all students receive a high-quality education every day.

The HISD administrative team is actively developing the proposed budget for the upcoming school year. We will have more information to share in the coming weeks. While we cannot comment on specific employees or positions affected by these reductions, many HISD departments are affected. Employees whose positions are changed or eliminated will remain there through the end of the year, and HISD will help them find other opportunities within the district if they choose. Services to schools and students will not be disrupted.

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