A Toronto school board says teachers may be “bumped” from their job by more senior staff members in the wake of the Ford government’s cuts, while another GTA board says it cannot balance its budget without layoffs.

In a memo sent to secondary teachers across the school board, the Toronto District School Board said educators should be prepared for the “board-wide placement staffing process" this year.

“This may mean that some teachers who are currently not surplus to their school will be bumped from their position by an unplaced more senior teacher. As a result of a bump, a teacher may therefore be declared tentatively surplus to the board,” the memo read.

Teachers will be notified on June 28 if they have been deemed surplus, which will result in the termination of their employment effective Aug. 31.

“Please know that we understand the anxiety and uncertainty that may be created for teachers who find themselves in this position,” the memo continued.

“Indeed, the decision to bump was not undertaken lightly. Rather, it was dictated by the need to ensure that if terminations are required that the process by which this happens will adhere to the letter and spirit of the collective agreement.”

The board said it will “make every effort to place teachers into positions.”

Meanwhile north of the city, the York Catholic District School Board says that it faces a $7.7 million budget deficit and lowering the headcount entirely through attrition is no longer possible.

“Due to changes in Ministry funding, attrition is no longer sufficient to absorb the loss in teaching positions related to decline in enrolment,” a letter sent to teachers by YCDSB Director Ab Falconi read. “Sadly it will be necessary for us to make some redundancy declarations.”

Falconi said most teachers facing layoffs will be notified by Friday.

The notice comes after the province’s ministry of education forced Ontario high schools to increase their average class size from 22 students to 28 over the next four years.

The province also previously announced that it is cutting the amount of money it gives school boards per student.

School boards have suggested that these changes will result in a loss of thousands of teaching jobs, but the provincial government has maintained that all job losses will be dealt with through attrition.

The TDSB says it will be holding a meeting at the North York Civic Centre for all teachers deemed “surplus” on July 5 at 10 a.m.

Since the start of the 2018 provincial election campaign Premier Doug Ford has said that no teacher will lose their job as a result of his government’s actions to cut education funding. He and his ministers have said any reductions would be achieved through attrition.

After Question Period on Wednesday, Education Minister Lisa Thompson said the province has money available to prevent job losses that are not due to attrition.

“We have a program in place to ensure that not one individual involuntarily loses their job,” she said.