Statewide Teacher Layoffs Resume

PHOENIX - Due to Arizona's budget shortfall, many teachers and students don't know what type of classroom they'll be walking into this fall.

For months we've been hearing about increasing class sizes and the possibility of widespread layoffs, all because of our state's miserable financial situation.

After 32 years of teaching our kids, Suzi Figueroa may soon be a casualty. In education, they call layoffs reductions in force, or RIFs.

The younger teachers already got riffed last year. But this year, the time is up for teachers with more seniority.

Suzi Figueroa has been teaching for 32 years -- but she's only spent five years at Cave Creek Unified. That's not enough seniority anymore.

"There's no first or second year teachers anymore. They were riffed last year. We are looking at 3, 4, 5, 6 years in the district that people are getting riffed. That's how bad it is," she says.

"It started last week and this week. Teachers by the thousands are receiving their pink slips," says Andrew Morrill with the Arizona Education Association. Districts everywhere are having to keep cutting back to prepare for the worst, says Morrill.

"It is really not which districts are. It is probably more the case which ones aren't. This is a widespread problem much like last year," says Morrill.

When Figueroa met with her bosses, she says they gave her two scenarios.

She may keep her job if the 1-percent sales tax passes in May. If not, she's likely out.

"You think about putting in all the years and then easing out gracefully, and then for something like this to happen, it is pretty much a shock," says Figueroa.

Districts typically draw up worst case scenario budgets, so some teachers may be asked back.

If the 1-percent sales tax is approved, it is expected to generate about $1 billion a year.