Now that the final decisions have been made, 122 teachers in Simi Valley are not assured of a job in the school district this fall.

In March, 209 SVUSD teachers were handed layoff notices. Sixty-three of the notices were rescinded before employment hearings were held, and last week another 24 teachers who had received pink slips were told they could come back to work next year.

More teachers can be rehired if budget conditions improve but, by law, the district had to solidify its decision by May 15.

Any teachers who are hired back by the time school begins next year won't lose benefits. And seniority won't change for anyone who is hired back within 39 months.

Due to cuts in the state budget, the five school districts in East Ventura County face a combined loss of revenue of more than $17 million this year and an additional $4 million next year. SVUSD is facing a possible $11million shortfall for the next school year.

Simi Educators Association President Dayle Gillick said the union expected more teachers to be saved.

"We were hoping for more," Gillick said. "With the May 19 election and the governor's May (budget) revise, I think they were holding back a little to see what was going to happen. We think they are going to pull back more before June."

Lowell Schultze, SVUSD's associate superintendent of business and facilities, said they are hopeful.

"We're going to try, but it depends on what the governor gives us," he said. "We hope to hire some of these teachers back. To say how many, I'm not positive. We need to look at the numbers when we get them. We want to bring them back, but we also have the fiscal responsibility to pay them."

Gillick said they didn't consider reducing teacher benefits in order to save jobs.

"We felt we weren't ready to explore changes in benefits until we were convinced the district's budget couldn't be stretched any further," Gillick said. "The governor is already talking about taking five days out of the school year. If we had already given up things, that would mean even bigger cuts to teachers. The timing wasn't right."

SVUSD has a goal to cut $33 million over the next three years. Already 33 classified positions have been cut, as have several positions in the district office, including the director of maintenance and operations, the director of curriculum and instruction, and many clerical positions. The district is also looking at cutting stipends and health benefits.

"We're really hoping it gets better, but it doesn't look like it will," Schultze said.

The district has also discontinued most hometoschool transportation for next year. Buses will be operating only for special education students. Parents will need to arrange for their children to get to and from school. Schultze said transportation was costing the district $500,000 per year.

"They are still very anxious, discouraged and resigned," said Gillick of the teachers. "Yet we're all holding out hope that we're going to be able to see our way through this. The kids are still going to come to school. We will still need teachers.

"We always want what's best for our kids, and that's good, qualified teachers."

Originally those who've been teaching since as far back as 2002 were given pink slips. The district brought back teachers who began in 2002 and 2003, but teachers who've worked for five years are still being laid off.