No Pink Slips for Local Teachers

Updated Fri., Mar. 16 at 1:52 p.m. with comment from high school district.

Every full-time teacher in the got some good news Thursday—they still had a job.

That wasn't the fate however for more than 20,000 teachers across California who received pink slips on Mar. 15, as the state pressured school districts to balance their budgets. Locally, the elementary and middle school district kept it's full-time staff, but made other staffing changes to meet the deadline.

"We are fortunate that we did not have to issue any pink slips," said Kathi Lilga, the executive assistant to the superintendent. "We did release 34 temporary teachers, but most will be hired back as we have openings due to retirements or resignations."

The said that no high school teachers received pink slips.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued a statement Thursday in regards to the issuance of thousands of preliminary layoff notices to California teachers.

"Teachers across the state have rightly come to dread March 15," he said. "Every pink slip being issued today is an unwelcome and undeserved blow to the morale of the teacher who receives it."

The schools in California could face a possible $4.8 billion cut if a tax initiative proposed by the governor does not pass in November.

The California Education Code Section 44955(b) requires school boards to issue preliminary pink slips by Mar. 15, and then make the final decision on layoffs by May 15.