Burbank Unified School District and Huntington Beach City School District are preparing to balance 2020-21 budget deficits with staff layoffs and school closures. While California is in the midst of an economic boom, revenues to schools are not keeping pace with mandated increases in costs like district contributions to employee retirement funds and other fixed costs that are out of the control of schools.

Huntington Beach has voted to lay off 29 teachers, let go of most transfer students, and close an elementary school. Burbank Unified is proposing budget cuts that include eliminating five elementary physical education teachers and 3 elementary music teachers in 2020-21, with another 2 music teachers eliminated in 2021-22. 

Budget deficits and layoffs will be bid headlines for schools in February and March.