As the Santa Ana Unified School District moves forward with its plan to remove over nearly 300 staff positions, among them is a teacher of the year.
Noelle Campbell, a teacher of the year winner at Manuel Esqueda Middle School, received an email last Friday that stated she was part of the staff that would be potentially laid off.
“Friday at 4 o’clock, our district emailed all of the employees who are going to be potentially laid off a reduction in force notice, non-returnable for the 2025, 2026 school year,” said Campbell.
The message came as a surprise for the teacher of eight years, especially after learning that just hours after learning she was a finalist for a national teaching award.
“Literally Friday, I get a text that you’re in the top 20. And then a few hours later, you’re not being asked to return next year from my own district. It felt like a high high to a low low in one day,” said Campbell.
The district cites a $187 million budget deficit driven by the end of COVID-19 relief funds and a 32% drop in enrollment over the last decade.
In a statement, the district wrote in part:
“This staff reduction is a necessary step to ensure the district remains fiscally solvent and can continue serving our students and families.”
In total, 387 employees receive preliminary layoff notices last week, but the district says some positions could be restored before the board makes a final decision on May 15.
Campbell said the uncertainty is frustrating enough that she’s considering leaving teaching altogether.
“If I am laid off, I’m leaving this profession because I feel disrespected by the profession and I don’t understand in what logic does the highest acclaimed teacher have to start over in their career.”
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