Over 900 Pink Slips Set for SF Schools

San Francisco school officials are scheduled to vote on a plan to layoff more than 900 school employees.

The layoffs are on the agenda for the school board's meeting Tuesday. District officials say they are needed to help balance a projected budget shortfall of $113 million over the next two years. The district, which served 55,000 students, has experienced steep reductions in state funding.

The layoff notices would come in the next few weeks and would include 318 teachers, about 10 percent of the district's classroom employees. Also on the chopping block are the positions of 98 principals and vice principals, 22 counselors and 8 school nurses.

Dennis Kelly, the president of the United Educators of San Francisco, told the Chronicle the layoffs are, "literally a decimation of the teaching force."

But there's a glimmer of hope. District officials say the pink slips could still be rescinded, as they were last year.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia is calling on labor unions to make concessions in pay, benefits and class sizes to avoid at least some layoffs.

Union officials say the district has yet to show the layoffs and other cuts are necessary.