Who Bears the Costs of District Funding Cuts? Reducing Inequality in the Distribution of Teacher Layoffs

Abstract

Massive funding cuts to public education took place around the country following the Great Recession. Many school districts were forced to conduct teacher layoffs at a larger scale than any other time in recent history. We show that prior to a district intervention, the layoff process disproportionately impacted historically disadvantaged students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. We then demonstrate the success of a policy designed to reduce inequality in the distribution of teacher layoffs.