U.S. public-school systems issued layoff warnings to thousands of employees as enrollment declines collide with rising labor and material costs and the expiration of pandemic-era federal aid. The layoffs are being framed as the largest wave in more than a decade, with major districts including Los Angeles Unified, Chicago Public Schools, and Clark County in Nevada preparing reductions. Officials cited budget balancing tied to shrinking student populations and the end of federal stimulus that had supported higher staffing levels. In Clark County, for example, the district projected job losses for teachers, social workers, and counselors alongside other staff reductions. While the story centers on K-12, it matters for higher education because it changes the volume and readiness of the teacher pipeline, intensifies demand for teacher education and credentialing pathways, and increases scrutiny on how institutions support workforce resilience across the education sector.