The acceptance of contracts finalized layoffs for 16 certified staff members in Whitfield County and 24 in Dalton as the two school systems cut positions to offset multimillion-dollar shortfalls.
“The remainder of the employees who work under contract chose to either retire or resign,” Whitfield schools spokesman Eric Beavers said. “Some of those were planning to do that anyway; it wasn’t due to the reduction in force.”
Dalton schools spokeswoman Deana Farmer said the 24 employees who were laid off were balanced by 15 others who “decided to retire, voluntarily resign or work in part-time or other positions within the district.”
The contracts were issued the second week of May and returned this week.
In the past few weeks, Whitfield cut 113 positions to help offset a $13.4 million shortfall in state and local revenue for 2010-11, and Dalton’s cut of 52 positions countered a $5 million funding shortage for next year and a projected $2 million shortfall in 2012.