Orange County Public Schools says 98 educators still do not have assigned positions after the district identified 212 positions that needed to be reassigned, a move that has sparked concern from families and students at several campuses.
The district said the changes come after OCPS lost roughly 8,000 students in enrollment over the last year, forcing budget adjustments across schools.
Right now, OCPS said it has about 20 openings available for the 98 unassigned educators. The district told News 6 it has until Oct. 2 to fill those vacancies. Educators who are not placed by then will be let go, though the district said they will be notified if openings become available later.
[WATCH: Orange County schools finalizes $7.9B budget as district plans additional $8.5M in cuts]
At University High School, students are pushing back through a petition aimed at saving an associate chorus director position. The petition has gathered more than 500 signatures.
Lauralee Kuhl, a concerned grandparent of a University High School student, said she does not understand why the district would move forward with cuts involving teachers students value.
“I don’t understand why they’re doing that when we need these teachers — especially the ones that the children like,” Kuhl said. “And then they’re going to lose their job. And what’s going to happen next?”
Kuhl said her grandchildren recently returned to public school after being homeschooled. When asked whether the changes could make the family consider homeschooling again, she said it was possible.
“It might. It might, but I don’t know,” Kuhl said.
State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, signed the student petition in support of University High School students.
“It’s really frustrating and really scary because folks don’t know what’s happening next,” Smith said. “If we don’t do everything that we can to stop some of these funding cuts and to stop these declining enrollment trends, we’re going to see more school personnel lose their job.”
[WATCH: Angie Gallo elected OCPS chair amid challenges: ‘They are struggling out there’]
The impact is also being felt at Odyssey Middle School, where some students are expected to begin following new class schedules Friday because of the district’s budget adjustments.
Kuhl questioned whether declining enrollment fully explains the staffing changes.
“Is that an excuse that they’re knocking these teachers out, or are they just bringing that up to say, ‘OK, here’s our excuse that we can get rid of these teachers?’” Kuhl said. “No, I don’t think that’s fair.”
OCPS said the placement process will continue through Oct. 2, with remaining unassigned educators notified if future vacancies open.