Pomona Unified board to vote on issuing preliminary layoff notices

Members of the Pomona Unified School District's school board are expected to vote on a resolution Tuesday night that, if approved, would allow administrators to issue preliminary layoff notices to some of the district's teachers and other certificated personnel.

The notices would tell teachers, counselors and others represented by the Associated Pomona Teachers that their employment could end at the end of the current academic year.

Also expected to be affected are teachers in the district's child development programs, said Tyra Weis, president of the Associated Pomona Teachers.

Half of the about 100 certificated personnel in those programs could be impacted, Weis said.
Word on the reductions in the child development programs took the employees that Weis represents by surprise since they had not been affected in previous years.

Superintendent Richard Martinez said the programs depend on state funds that have been cut while others involve federal dollars that could possibly be cut as part of the federal budget process.

Although the federal budget process has not been completed, it's possible programs could see a reduction in funds and the district must prepare for such a situation, Martinez said.

The school board will meet behind closed doors at 6 p.m. and go into open session at 7:30 p.m. in the board room of the district's education center at 800 S. Garey Ave.