Staff reductions are being considered at Lockport City School District as American Rescue Plan Act funds dry up at the end of the current school year.
In response to a Union-Sun & Journal reporter’s questions about rumored pending layoffs Wednesday, district superintendent Mathis Calvin III said while he’s aware people want to know more, he declined to give any specifics and said job cuts are under consideration as the school board works on the 2024-2025 district budget, because of the expected loss of Covid relief funding. Administration will work through the loss “one step at a time,” he said.
The school board has scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. March 20, during which there will be a presentation on the staff reductions.
Last spring a similar stage was set when eight staff positions were targeted for elimination as the ARPA funding for them was expiring. Ultimately, administration preserved 31 of 39 ARPA-funded posts by shifting federal funds from one aid category to another.
Calvin declined to state the number of job reductions that are being considered this year.
“Like every district across the state we are looking at several positions that the ARPA funds will no longer be available for, so we are taking our time to look at every position and will share information as soon as possible,” he said. “We will be very thoughtful and very collaborative as we have done since we started here.”