While the New York City Department of Education faces up to $1.2 billion in budget cuts, rookie teachers across the city are fearing the loss of their jobs due to seniority rules, a policy known as "last in, first out."

However, a bill sponsored by two Democratic state lawmakers aims to rewrite these standards to make layoff decisions more equitable. If passed, each New York City school would be tasked with forming a collective of administrators, teachers, and parents to decide which teachers should be laid off.

The 8,500 expected layoffs will be most concentrated in Manhattan's District 2 and the South Bronx's District 7. District 2, one of the city's wealthiest, will lose 19% of its teaching force; District 7, one of its poorest, will lost 21%

"Experience matters, but it cannot be the sole or even principal factor considered in layoff decisions," said Chancellor Klein in a statement last month.

Read more in today's New York Times.