Oklahoma City Public Schools will cut 208 teaching positions next year, due to what it calls "a catastrophic budget crisis."
District Superintendent Rob Neu says he’s not sure which teachers will be affected just yet, but he hopes the problem sorts itself out naturally.
"It is my hope that all 208 will be through natural attrition, whether it be retirement, or people leaving the profession, or transferring."
He says these cuts will cause class sizes to grow, and course offerings to be slashed.
More cuts are coming, too. Two state revenue failures and a looming budget shortfall caused the district to reduce its budget by $30 million dollars over this year and next. These staff cuts will save just $8 million.
Neu says other than this, nothing is really safe—including administration. He says the district is also considering shortening the school year next year.
School spokesman Mark Myers says the cuts will affect teachers on non-continuing contracts.
Officials anticipate class sizes will increase throughout the district, but stay within state-mandated classroom requirements.
Myers said the most recent information shows the district with 2,690 teachers and 45,648 students in the 2014-15 school year.
