(Helena) The Helena School Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night not to renew the contracts of 52 non-tenured teachers, drawing concerns from both parents and educators.
This year, the number of teachers who were “pink-slipped” doubled from last year’s 26 – just one of the outcomes of the school’s budget strains and the failure of levies last week, according to Karen Ogden, the district’s communications officer.
Although it’s common for school districts to not renew the contracts of teachers who haven’t worked for three consecutive years, Helena school officials said these deep cuts are necessary as the board considers how to balance the district’s budget. Another 19 teachers in the district have announced their retirements or resignations, meaning Helena schools could have as many as 71 fewer working teachers next year.
This story was excerpted from the Montana Free Press
