Duluth School District Budget Reduction Leads to Potential Layoffs

DULUTH, Minn.– Staff layoffs are taking place in the Duluth School District due to budget cuts.

Superintendent John Magas says, the budget reduction is caused by pandemic relief funding ending as well as financial challenges, inflation, and rising special education costs.

83-85% of that budget is responsible for salaries and benefits.

Over 50 meetings took place to discuss the best course of action with the least effect on classrooms.

Superintendent John Magas says, Human resources staff notify will notify affected staff January 27th-30th.

“We’re not laying people off at this point, we’re displacing people. Which means that they’re no longer tied to their specific position in the district. But they’re still our employees. In the meantime, between now and the end of spring, that’s when we look at how many people do we really need to reduce by. And we have retirements, and increases of enrollment and funding sometimes that fluctuates,” said Magas.

The district is reducing 8-percent of its staff as part of the 5-million-dollar budget cut for the 2025-2026 school year.