Congress Urged to Tie Aid in Jobs Bill to Elimination of Seniority-Based Firing

Unions worry favoritism and ageism could crop up.

With districts across the nation sending off thousands of pink slips, the issue of seniority-based layoffs has leapt front and center into the debate about changes to the teacher-quality continuum.

Though typically a state and district issue, layoff policy has even managed to attract federal attention. “Last hired, first fired” practices are being hotly contested in the context of the $23 billion education jobs bill up for consideration on Capitol Hill.

The bill would dole out additional aid to cover education jobs using the same formula as the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund from the $100 million federal economic-stimulus legislation, signed...