Deep cuts to their budgets in the last legislative session led school districts to reduce teaching staff while their populations were growing, leading to a net loss of more than 15,000 teachers statewide. Jobs lost were almost 5 percent of the total number of working teachers last year — 324,000. But 65,000 new students weren’t taken into account as hiring decisions were being made. Districts don’t expect things to get any better in the coming year, as the funding cuts remain at record highs.