Layoffs Likely Averted for Santa Clara Office of Education’s Head Start Staff

Veronica Arellano, a parent advocate for Head Start, said as recently as Friday, she was warning parents who were trying to enroll for the new year that the program was still waiting for more funding.

“The uncertainty was really hard for families who are part of our year-round program,” Arellano said. “They’re like ‘oh, we’re praying that hopefully you guys don’t close your doors because I really don’t have a Plan B here and it would ultimately have to come down to me staying home with my child.’”

In his email, Toston said while the grants ensured continuity for some 1200 low-income families enrolled in Head Start, “some individuals will still be impacted by staffing reductions.”

Arellano said that while she was happy to hear her job would most likely be saved, she was angry that the SCCOE put its employees through “a roller coaster of emotions.”

Already, the layoff notices prompted some colleagues to retire early or to look for work elsewhere.

“I don’t think it was necessary to put our staff and our families through all of that, but hopefully in the future this won’t happen again,” she said.