Brockton schools to eliminate 22 teaching jobs. What are they using the money for?

BROCKTON — Brockton Public Schools is eliminating 22 teaching positions at the elementary and high school levels and replacing them with 12 new behavior management specialist positions, a district spokesperson said.

The eliminated positions include 17 floor teaching positions at Brockton High School, four teaching positions at Brockton Virtual Learning Academy and a specialist role at PROMISE College and Career Academy, according to Jordan Mayblum, director of communications at Brockton Public Schools.

The announcement of the four eliminated virtual learning teaching positions comes less than a year after the district announced that the elementary virtual academy would close at the end of this current school year.

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“While teaching positions are being eliminated in alignment with future needs, the district's human resources department is working with the impacted educators to re-assign them to vacancies elsewhere in Brockton,” said Mayblum, adding that the 22 teachers currently working in the eliminated roles will be able to apply for the 12 new behavioral staff positions.

“Brockton Public Schools have made a broad commitment not to lay off teachers as a way of balancing the budget, and we stand by that commitment,” Mayblum said. “We are also committed to keeping educators in the district by redeploying them to meet needs."

What else is being eliminated? Brockton closing multiple school programs, scaling back 1 of 4 buildings at BHS

According to schoolspring.com, there are currently 84 open positions at Brockton Public Schools, 25 of which are teaching positions.

"The district is likewise committed to reimagining its approach to safety and security, and the new positions I mentioned, along with the creation of a district-wide security director role, are a reflection of that investment in our school community's safety,” Mayblum said.

It is unclear what the job description of the new behavioral management specialist position will entail or in which school they will work.

The announcement of new behavioral staff positions comes on the heels of the controversial request to deploy National Guard soldiers at Brockton High due to rising incidents of violence and serious safety concerns for both students and staff.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Public Schools teaching cuts: New behavior specialists