Administrative layoffs at Tulsa Public Schools are just the “first round” of cuts to prevent a future financial crisis, district leaders say.
Final notices were sent Monday to approximately 50 non-student-facing TPS employees, according to the district. It’s an effort to get ahead of a multi-million dollar budget cliff due to falling public school enrollment and the end of pandemic-era federal funding, says Kristin Stephens, chief financial officer for TPS.
Tulsans should expect cuts to continue, the district says. TPS began cost-cutting measures in 2025, including reductions to external contracts with organizations like Reading Partners and City Year. TPS is currently selling nine properties either leased to district charter schools or sitting vacant.
“We’re going to leave all of our options on the table,” Stephens said when asked whether the district may close active school sites.
The layoffs came after “months of review,” said Superintendent Ebony Johnson in a Feb. 18 email to staff. According to chief strategy officer Sean Berkstresser, the cuts are focused on reducing complexity and duplication in the TPS central office.
The district hired Baker Tilly Advisory Group in July 2025 to conduct a central office staffing analysis. With $150,000 in district funds, the third-party firm was tasked with identifying duplication and gaps with district staff.
In that process, TPS looked at other large districts in Oklahoma and across the country to identify necessary cuts, Berkstresser says. Nearly 90% of the district’s general fund expenses go toward salaries.
“We’re trying to make sure that schools are benefitting from the supports they get from the district office,” said Berkstresser. “And cutting — that’s hard. It’s a difficult time.”
TPS is also putting a $609 million bond package before voters April 7. Bond money can only be used for specific purchases and capital investments — not staff salaries.
“That would be lovely if we could just use bond dollars to pay people, but you can’t,” said Stephens. “Bond money is not a silver bullet that can save us all.”
While asking the public for bond dollars, Berkstresser says district leadership felt they “needed to be responsible stewards.”
“We’re not in a crisis,” he said. “We’re trying to really be smart and forward-looking.”
Pending approval from the school board, this round of layoffs will take place after the current fiscal year ends June 30. A vote on the recommended staffing cuts is expected later this spring, according to district spokeswoman Caroline Crouch.
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