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UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION: New information obtained by PraiseIndy.com shows that far more African-American Indianapolis Public School employees are being disproportionally dismissed than previously reported in an effort to close a whopping $30 million dollar budget deficit. We have NOW LEARNED that forty-seven (47) of the fifty-nine (59) employees being dismissed for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year are African-American. That means a stunning 79.7% of those recommended to be dismissed are Black.  PraiseIndy.com has NOW LEARNED that African-Americans comprise just 37.3% of IPS’ overall workforce. This face makes the disparity between the percentage of Blacks losing jobs and Blacks in the total workforce more distressing. One reason for dismissing employees is to try and make up IPS’ looming $30 million deficit. But most of those being dismissed don’t earn very high salaries.  Based on data released this afternoon by IPS, just 15.3% of the proposed dismissed employees earn salaries of over $50,000 yearly.  A third (33.9%) earn between $20,000 to $35,000 with 10.2% earning salaries of less than $20,000. Some 40.7% of the employees make between $35000 and $50,000 yearly. African-American employees don’t make up the majority of the employees of IPS. Which makes these job cuts, where Black employees are taking the greatest hit, of deep concern to many in the community. Among those cut are the individuals in charge of maintaining discipline at IPS’ middle and high schools. Those being dismissed are in a category called “Classified Employees”. Classified IPS Employees are those who serve in schools and in administration, but who don’t hold teaching or administrator licenses. They include athletic coaches, administrators in charge of discipline, behavior specialists, classroom monitors.  Other classified employees hold clerical or non teaching administrative positions. Some are secretaries. Several months ago, both Classified and Certified IPS Employees were placed on notice that their contracts wouldn’t be renewed for the 2013-2014 school year. “Certified Employees” are those with teaching of administrator licenses who hold positions such as principals, heads of administrative departments and assistant or associate superintendents. The 59 IPS employees are losing their jobs based on a recommendation to the IPS School Board by Interim Superintendent Dr. Peggy Hinckley. A couple of months ago, Dr. Hinckley rescinded the ax for a bunch of top certified employees, including key school principals and administrators. This week she recommended to the IPS Board that another 10 certified administrators should be retained. A total of ninety-two (92) Certified Employees keep their jobs next school year.  But the racial disparity of those retained positions is startling. Only 33.6% of certified employees retaining their jobs are African-American; with 64.1% of those retaining their jobs non-Hispanic whites. The 59 employees IPS will dismiss would save the district in wages and benefits $2,909,528.90; which is just 9.7% of IPS’ projected $30 million deficit.  Two years ago a study by the Indianapolis education reform group The Mind Trust said that IPS could save tens of millions by reducing high paying administration and central office positions.  Many of those high salaried positions are among those certified employees being retained by IPS. However, these job cuts aren’t anywhere near the savings needed to trim a $30 million deficit. More concerning is the steep cuts in African-American professionals from IPS. Of IPS’ total workforce of over 5,300, only 37.3% are African-American. Hispanics make up 2.7% of IPS employees and non-Hispanic whites comprise 58.2%.  The IPS Board is scheduled to vote on Interim Superintendent Hinckley’s recommendation to dismiss the 59 employees at a meeting February 23rd.