Lexington Public Schools has lost a net of 11 teachers after many were hired back following cuts, LPS Superintendent Julie Hackett wrote to LPS families before Memorial Day weekend. That’s down from a net loss of about 25 reported last month.
“What gives me the most confidence going into next fall is knowing that almost everyone impacted by the reductions in our school system has landed on their feet,” Hackett wrote to the Observer.
“I’m glad most could be brought back to LPS but my heart still breaks for those we couldn’t,” Robin Strizhak, president of the Lexington Educators Association, wrote to LexObserver. “We lost some excellent young teachers.”
The school district cut about 60 full-time positions (this number frequently fluctuated) and handed out pink slips to 160 paraprofessional and secretarial staff this winter and spring to help the town close the budget.
In the private sector, a pink slip means someone is losing their job, but in this case, it works differently, Hackett explained to the Observer. A pink slip means a position must be posted as vacant so that senior teachers affected by cuts can exercise their seniority rights and select a new assignment, she said — it does not automatically mean termination.
“In the past, I know that the ‘pink slip’ terminology caused unnecessary alarm in some cases, so I want to be sure that our families and the community understand what the process actually means,” said Hackett.
The superintendent reiterated during FY27 budget summits and during Town Meeting’s annual session this spring that she and her team would work to re-hire cut staff.
After weeks of debating and delaying a vote on the FY27 budget due to precinct reps, residents, and LPS staff protesting teacher cuts, Town Meeting passed an amended budget that included pulling $625,000 from Free Cash to save about five teachers.
Around that time, Hackett anticipated having a net loss of under a dozen staff. This week’s update hits that target.
In addition to letting staff go to balance the budget, the district also cut some programs, including the German and Digital Learning Coach programs. The latter was set up to teach students how to use tools like Artificial Intelligence responsibly.
The district will continue to work to re-hire cut staff until summer vacation commences.
“We won’t forget that there are still 11 colleagues we are working to place and we’ll continue to do everything we can to support them through this process,” Hackett wrote.