The cost of the COVID-19 pandemic could affect the future of public schools, putting thousands of teacher jobs in jeopardy.
That is the fear of more than 60 school superintendents across the nation, who sent a letter to Congress begging them for more federal funding.
The letter (can embed letter attached above), was sent Tuesday, from the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents a total of 76 of the nation’s largest urban school systems, to the four leading members of Congress: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
In it the council urged them to approve new funding for all local school systems in the next round of coronavirus appropriations bills.
The letter was signed by Orange County Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins, along with 64 other school superintendents from across the country.
According to the letter, $13.5 billion in the federal CARES Act signed into law in March provided for schools was a “critical lifeline" but they say school districts need substantially more funding to keep schools afloat, and keep massive teacher layoffs from happening.
The letter explains the $13.5B already received will help offset the unexpected costs of providing meals to students, and providing computers and WiFi hotspots to students who were forced into digital learning because of pandemic precautions which shuttered schools.
However, letter notes “dark clouds are forming on the educational horizon that will spell disaster if Congress does not intervene”.
The letter says "these budget cuts mean teaching staff will be laid off, class sizes will balloon, and the remaining teaching staff will be redeployed into classes and subjects that they may not be used to teaching - all while dealing with the fallout from this current school year."
The letter compares the situation public schools are facing now to what they faced during the 2008-2009 recession but say it is “far more severe”.
The superintendents that signed the letter point to significant revenue shortfalls that are looming for school districts. Some are projecting budget cuts of 15% to 25% going into the next school year, and say that could lead to an estimated 275,000 teachers across the country losing their jobs.
The letter goes on to say “sustaining and increasing educational spending now not only saves jobs in the short-run; it ensures economic strength and stability in the long-run” and “your investment in education will help save the country long term.”