The East Orange School District abruptly switched to a half-day schedule today, October 17, catching parents and students by surprise. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Irving issued a brief statement, explaining that the shortened schedule was due to “unforeseen circumstances.” He also apologized for the late notice and thanked families for their understanding, though he stopped short of giving any details about the cause.
However, sources close to the situation have pointed to a connection with the district’s recent announcement of major layoffs. Over 70 district employees, including teachers and support staff, are set to lose their jobs by December 15 due to budget cuts. With many teachers calling out this morning in response to these impending layoffs, rumors are swirling that the half-day schedule may have been an attempt to manage the sudden shortage of staff.
This wave of teacher absences has sparked concerns of a walkout, allegedly in protest of the looming layoffs. While no formal strike has been announced, the timing of these call-outs suggests that staff members may be taking matters into their own hands to make their frustration known. This would not be the first time educators have taken such action, particularly in response to financial strains that threaten both their jobs and the quality of education in the district.
The layoffs come as East Orange grapples with severe budget shortfalls, with Superintendent Irving previously pointing to the district’s meager $200,000 in state aid as insufficient to cover basic operational costs. Out-of-district tuition, transportation, food services, and, most critically, employee salaries have all become overwhelming financial burdens. These issues are not unique to East Orange but are part of a much broader trend across the state.
Many school districts in New Jersey have been forced to cut staff in recent years, largely due to the controversial S-2 school funding formula signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy. The formula aims to redistribute state aid in an effort to better align funding with district needs, but critics argue that it has left many districts—particularly urban and historically underfunded ones—struggling to keep up.
Under S-2, districts that previously received more state aid than the formula now calculates they need have seen significant cuts, which has led to widespread financial challenges. For East Orange, the results are clear: the district’s already thin budget couldn’t handle the reduced aid, pushing the administration toward drastic measures like layoffs and today’s unexpected schedule change.
Unfortunately, East Orange is far from the only district affected. Across the state, many other school districts are also facing similar cuts and layoffs. Reports from districts such as Brick Township, Toms River, and Jersey City echo the same concerns. They, too, have struggled with dwindling state aid under the S-2 formula and have been forced to cut positions, increase class sizes, and in some cases, shutter school programs entirely.
Teachers and staff across these districts are feeling the pinch, and some are taking action to protest the cuts. Earlier this year, teachers in Toms River and Brick Township rallied against layoffs, with some schools even closing for the day in solidarity with striking teachers. The growing unrest among educators statewide has led to calls for Governor Murphy to re-evaluate the funding formula and reconsider how state aid is distributed, though his administration maintains that S-2 is designed to bring long-term equity to the state’s school systems.
For parents and students in East Orange, the future feels uncertain. With the layoffs looming and the district already struggling to operate on such tight funds, today’s half-day schedule could be the first of many disruptions to come. The loss of more than 70 staff members will no doubt stretch remaining teachers even thinner, and concerns are mounting about how this will impact the quality of education going forward.
As the effects of the S-2 formula ripple through the state, the East Orange community, like many others, faces a tough road ahead. Teachers, parents, and students are left wondering not only how the district will manage these changes, but also whether their concerns will be addressed in the larger conversation about education funding in New Jersey.