Santa Clara County's top education office is planning for a wave of firings amid questions over top-heavy management and executive assistants with six-figure salaries.
San Jose Spotlight reported workers will be notified about their dismissal by March 15, according to a statement by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. It's unclear how many jobs could be cut.
The agency says it's facing a "constricted financial future" in light of "dramatic change in priorities and funding" at the federal level.
In a statement, the agency added it is “working to funnel resources strategically to support classrooms, provide professional development, and continue services that directly benefit the students and educators it serves."
This comes as the office looks for evidence of misspending and malfeasance under former Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan (dee-WON). The Board of Education, which oversees the agency, voted to fire Dewan in October. This sparked a backlash from state lawmakers and educators across Silicon Valley.
An analysis by the Spotlight showed Dewan's office has several high salaried assistants, strategy managers and a "senior administrator for superintendent projects,” all reporting to the former superintendent. Her three executive assistants each made an annual base salary ranging from $150,000 to $192,000.