The La Joya Independent School District confirmed job cuts are coming to the district.

The job cuts were announced following a Wednesday school board meeting, where trustees discussed the findings of a recent study that found the district was overstaffed and that money wasn't being well spent.

The staffing data came from the Texas Association of School Boards and reportedly showed that the district is overstaffed by as many as 300 employees at a cost exceeding more than $20 million.

The district said the pandemic and students leaving the district for charter schools led to the staffing issues. While the district lost students, the number of staff members has not decreased at the same rate. 

As part of their staffing adjustment plan, the district said "right sizing" is needed to save the district money.

"Positions that have not been filled but would be closed," La Joya ISD Superintendent Dr. Gisela Saenz said. "Positions that are slated to close through natural end of year teacher educator turnover."

The district said that has the potential to save them more than $24 million.

After this story originally aired Friday evening, La Joya ISD released the following statement:

"Over the course of the last few years, La Joya ISD has experienced a decline in student enrollment due to several factors which include the COVID-19 pandemic, building of more charter schools in the area, and slow growth in our territorial jurisdiction. 

This decline in student enrollment now requires that La Joya ISD adjusts its staffing patterns to adequately sustain budgetary needs into the future in order to maintain the current level of services to students.

The La Joya ISD Staffing Adjustment Plan will align staffing allocations based on our student enrollment and will allow the District to continue current funding levels for curriculum and student needs.

Employees of identified positions to close will be notified to give them a meaningful opportunity to find future employment. There are currently open positions that are not filled, these may be filled through reassignment with employees identified in this plan. We feel confident that in adjusting the staffing patterns with the identified positions in this plan, we can achieve long-term financial stability to ensure continued Educational Excellence for the students of La Joya ISD."