El Paso Independent School District trustees on Tuesday signed off on what district leaders are calling the final round of budget-driven layoffs before students return, cutting positions across more than a dozen campuses. The move follows a declaration of financial exigency and months of internal review that uncovered large shortfalls in the district’s accounts. Officials insist the cuts were crafted to protect classroom instruction, while teachers and parents say uncertainty still hangs over staffing as the district finishes placements.
According to KFOX14, the terminations include probationary teachers in English, math, science, social studies and physical education and affect several high schools, including Andress, Austin, Bowie, Chapin, Coronado, El Paso, Franklin, Irvin, and Jefferson. The station's agenda listing also names middle schools Brown, Canyon Hills, Hornedo, Magoffin and Wiggs, PK‑8 campuses such as Bobby Joe Hill, Coach Wally Hartley, Don Haskins and Dr. Josefina V. Tinajero, along with Delta Academy.
The board's action follows an early June vote in which trustees declared a financial exigency and authorized a Reduction in Force, the district said in a June 5 statement from El Paso ISD. The 2026‑27 adopted budget, even after vacancy eliminations and other cuts, still shows roughly a $4.3 million shortfall in the general fund, according to El Paso ISD.
Where the numbers came from
An external audit and consulting review earlier this spring flagged a multiyear gap of about $52.8 million that set this cascade of cuts in motion, as first reported by KVIA. That finding pushed trustees and administrators to pursue vacancy reductions, operational trims, and targeted layoffs in an attempt to stabilize the district's finances.
District says classrooms should be spared
Board Vice President Dr. Jack Loveridge told trustees the administration “made sure that any terminations they are following through with will not affect class sizes” and said staffing will be monitored on a campus‑by‑campus basis, according to KFOX14. Trustees said they expect this to be the last round of cuts before the school year begins.
What employees can expect next
The district told affected staff they could appeal proposed terminations under district policy and state law and that information on timelines and hearing rights would be provided. The El Paso Teachers Association has cautioned members about signing voluntary resignation packets, warning that doing so could affect unemployment eligibility, a warning reported by KVIA.
Legal and policy context
Under Texas law, a board may declare a financial exigency and implement a reduction in force when a district's finances cannot support its instructional programs, and the code lays out notice and hearing rights for affected employees. For guidance on procedures and best practices, see TASB and the Texas Education Code provisions on financial exigency and contract termination.
Trustees said they will continue to review staffing as appeals and placements are processed ahead of the fall semester, while parents and educators wait to see final campus rosters. Board materials and the district budget include detailed lists of affected positions and are being posted with timelines for employees and the public.
