This paper describes the reduction in force (RIF) that took place in the Bridgeton Public Schools, New Jersey, as a result of its exclusion from the formation of a new regional school district. During the school year 1976-77, enrollment declined by 1,600 pupils, tuition diminished by $2,000,000, and staff had to be reduced by 89 employees. The RIF procedure involved reevaluating and reducing program and class sizes and then beginning the task of deleting positions. Some of the steps taken, which are offered as suggestions to school districts, included meeting with the teachers' organization to enlist their support, formulating a seniority list, and keeping staff, students, and community informed of developments. The paper concludes that understanding and managing the results of declining enrollments can make the difference between survival and death of a school system and ultimately a community. Also, the process of dismissing individuals should be conducted in a humanitarian way. Included at the end are steps to follow in an RIF; a sample policy; observations on personnel, programs, facilities, and budgets; and a bibliography of references used. (Author/LD)