NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport School District has cut 26 teaching positions, raising concerns among parents, teachers and students about classroom sizes and educational quality.
During an April school board work session, Superintendent Tony Watts said the cuts were crucial to prevent the district from ending up $3.9 million in debt.
"There were 26 non-renewals issued to teachers," Watts said. "We eliminated some positions because they were grant-funded. Staff who received non-renewals are allowed to apply for positions if they become available."
These positions were funded by state and federal grants, but the cuts have left many parents concerned about the future of education in Newport.
"It's a very good school district, so to lose that many teachers is very upsetting and troublesome," said Allison Hillard, parent of a fourth grader. " I feel like it could possibly impact her academically, she got straight A's right now, and she loves all of her teachers — especially her art teacher. Everyone has nothing but good to say, and I feel like she might suffer from it."
Teacher layoffs spark concern in Newport schools:
According to the Newport Teacher Association, the layoffs are distributed across the district, with Newport Primary School losing seven teachers, Newport Intermediate School losing 12 and Newport High School losing nine. This count doesn't include teacher transfers.
Esther Fatsy, president of the Newport Teacher Association, expressed strong opposition to the cuts.
"The cuts will undoubtedly undermine the quality of education we provide, jeopardizing the futures of our students and the long-term success of our school district. We are deeply concerned about the devastating impact these changes will have," Fatsy said. "We are deeply concerned about the devastating impact these changes will have, and we call on the Superintendent and School Board to reassess these decisions for the sake of our students, our schools, and our community."
Students are also worried about how these changes will affect their learning environment.
"My class right now is 22 students, and it's already pretty bad, so I feel like less teachers would make it worse, and I feel sad for them because they'll have no job after doing all that work to get one job," said Mariah Snyder, a Newport student.
The next board meeting with public comments will be held on May 28.
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