After Gov. Scott Walker’s announcement late last week that state workers could expect 1,500 layoffs by the end of the fiscal year, Madison Metropolitan School District officials said Friday they would delay preliminary layoff notices until May 15.

MMSD Superintendent Dan Nerad said an agreement had been reached with Madison Teachers, Inc., to delay issuing hundreds of notices until Walker released more details about the the state’s next biennial budget. 

The district originally anticipated distributing the notices Monday, the deadline according to state law, unless individual districts were able to use collective bargaining to negotiate new deadlines.

The MMSD Board of Education met in closed session Friday morning to discuss the potential layoffs and the consequences that could come because of delaying the notifications.

Nerad said the board decided to delay the preliminary notifications to allow its members sufficient time to react to the budget’s outcome. Walker’s office had scheduled the budget’s release for Feb. 22 but delayed the announcement because of controversy among the legislature and public concerning Walker’s budget repair bill.

“With this delay, we’ll have more time to better understand Walker’s budget proposal and its potential impact on the need for layoffs,” Nerad said.

This delay should help reduce anxiety among faculty, especially in a time where extensive layoffs may not even be necessary.

Board of Education Clerk Ed Hughes said there might be fewer required layoffs than currently anticipated if the budget repair bill passes through the Senate without further changes.

“No one thought the layoffs would come to the number we anticipated – that was a worst case scenario,” Hughes said. “We’ll do everything we can to limit teacher layoffs.”

The anticipated layoffs aim to help limit the state’s $17.5 million budget shortfall, but Hughes said if the bill passes, required contribution to teachers’ retirement accounts could allow for fewer cuts.

Nerad said he hopes to maintain the current district staff as much as possible and does not anticipate staffers seeking alternative options while waiting for the layoff notices to be released. He added he trusts the district’s staff will be satisfied with the negotiated delay.

If passed, Walker’s budget proposal could cause significant cuts in state aid to school districts throughout Wisconsin. A number of other school board across the state are considering similar courses of action, including districts in Appleton, Marinette, La Crosse, Cashton and Onalaska.