At least one school district in the state has notified teachers they’ll be getting pink slips while an impasse continues at the statehouse over how much money schools should get next year.     

Governor Branstad is downplaying the impact of the layoffs on schools.    

By April 30, schools must either renew contracts with teachers or lay them off at least temporarily  if they still don’t know how much money they’ll get from the state.   

The  Southeast Warren school district has  notified teachers  they’ll be laid off so the district can prepare for worst-case scenario.

“I hope that can be reduced and minimized,” Branstad says.   “A lot of school districts have given early retirement opportunities to some of their senior teachers and things like that.”

Branstad  says schools will need more teachers next year, not fewer.

“The teacher leadership program that provides  50 million dollars next year will require additional teachers,” Branstad says.   “Teachers with certain skills will be critically important.”

Some teachers getting pink slips may be hired back depending on how much state aid lawmakers finally agree to.  

Republicans and Democrats are still 55 million dollars apart on how much money to appropriate for K-12 schools.