NEW YORK, Sept. 3 -- Thousands of teachers and school staffers across the United States are at risk of losing their jobs as districts balance their budgets and prepare for the shortfall after COVID-19 relief money expires, reported USA Today on Tuesday.

Schools nationwide used most of their relief fund money to pay for classroom teachers and support staff, according to a U.S. Department of Education analysis of district spending for fiscal year 2022.

"Districts across the country are now laying off recently hired educators, teaching assistants, counselors, restorative justice coordinators and other key staff at schools, or they're scrambling to find ways to retain them," said the report.

A recent survey of 190 district leaders by the nonprofit research group Rand found that teacher reductions were "the most common budget cut" officials anticipated.

Conversations about staff layoffs cropped up in at least 28 districts ahead of the upcoming fiscal cliff, according to a tracker of media reports from the Georgetown University-based research center Edunomics Lab, which monitors potential layoffs at districts.

"The post-pandemic layoffs have been widespread. Montana's Helena Public Schools cut 36 positions, including 21 teachers. The Arlington Independent School District in Texas cut 275 positions, including counselors, tutors and teaching support staff," noted the report.

The Biden administration granted schools 189.5 billion U.S. dollars over the past few years through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund under the American Rescue Plan Act. School officials have until the end of September to commit the remainder of their money, and districts will no longer be able to pay for non-teaching staff roles with that money after Sept. 30.

  - Xinhua