Fresno Unified Starts Layoff Talks; 30 Jobs at Risk, Cellphone Ban Proposed

Fresno Unified has opened layoff discussions this week as officials work through a budget cycle that district reporting says will stretch over the coming months. At least 30 teacher positions are reported to be at risk, layoff notices are due by March 15, and budget hearings are expected to continue for the next couple of months, according to ABC30/KFSN coverage and syndicated reports. Fresno Unified is described in coverage as California's third-largest district.

At Wednesday's board meeting custodians, bus drivers and food service workers pressed district leaders to reconsider proposed job layoffs and wage freezes. Fresno High School custodian Luiz Munoz told the board, "I take pride in the work I do because I know that it's important for the health and wellbeing for our students and directly impacts the outcomes." KSEE24 News posted on Facebook on January 28 at 8:30 PM that classified employees were speaking out about stalled contract negotiations and the possibility of layoffs as the next school year approaches.

Classified staff named in coverage include custodians, bus drivers and food service workers, with additional mentions on social media of grounds crews and warehouse workers rallying to highlight job-security concerns. News reports say the union representing employees is negotiating a new three-year contract after a previous agreement "expired in June." Workers at the board meeting argued the proposed staffing decisions will hurt departments that are already stretched thin and ultimately hurt students, according to ABC30/KFSN reporting.

Alongside the budget fight, proposals to ban cellphones in classrooms are under discussion. Original reporting noted proposals "to ban cellphones in classrooms ... to enhance student focus and reduce distractions," while Fresnoland’s coverage framed the measure more assertively, saying Fresno Unified is "poised to adopt classroom cellphone ban." None of the supplied coverage includes the draft policy text, enforcement details, a specific effective date, or a scheduled board vote.

Community reaction on social media has been sharp and varied. Facebook commenter Kristina Holmes-McIntyre posted a longer critique that included a quoted line she attributed to a "budget presentation in May 2025" saying the district will need cuts of $48.9 million, $22.4 million and $23.5 million over the next three school years; that budget figure appears in her post and has not been presented as a district statement in the news reports. Other Facebook commenters included Calvi Vo, who wrote, "Cut the salaries of the board members and the other higher ups cuz the money should be going to the kids education and other resources," Susan Weber, "The board only thinks of themselves," Marilyn Lea Shockency, "Essential services to a well run school," and Ninena Vang, "Over paid."

Key deadlines remain: layoff notices are due by March 15 and budget hearings will continue for the next couple of months, according to the reporting. The district has not released an official, itemized shortfall figure or the full text of any cellphone-policy draft in the coverage provided; until the board or district publishes those documents, at least 30 teacher jobs remain identified as at risk and the classroom cellphone proposal remains unresolved.