The Milwaukee Public Schools budget is trying to balance growing classroom support with eliminating a $46 million budget deficit next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The district’s plans to do so are outlined in the proposed budget<\/a> for the 2026-27 school year. Plans include an increase in teaching positions, reducing the number of assistant principal and administrative staff and cutting spending on services outside the district. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said MPS is at an \u201cinflection\u201d point, and that the budget will help the district accelerate student achievement and create safe schools and welcoming schools for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had to make very tough decisions that have impacted talented colleagues that we respect and care for,\u201d Cassellius said in a press release. \u201cAt the same time, we have an obligation to our students, their families and the taxpayers of Milwaukee to use these resources in a way that will take MPS in a direction that is sustainable and effective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The district will present a summary of the budget and listen to comments from the community at the Strategic Planning and Budget meeting at 5:30 p.m.Thursday, May 7 at the MPS Central Office, 5225 W. Vliet St.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The board is also holding public hearings<\/a>\u00a0on May 12, May 19 and May 26 and plans to vote on the budget on May 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The district is eliminating 53 administrative staff positions and another 53 assistant principal positions, the press release said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of the district\u2019s Standard of Care guidelines, schools with enrollment under 350<\/a> generally won\u2019t receive an assistant principal. Schools with more students get an assistant principal for every 350 students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting next year, the district will assign teachers to schools depending on new class-size guidelines and enrollment in each grade as part of its Standard of Care framework, according to the budget summary<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal of the centralized staffing model is to create more coherence and distribute resources more equitably across schools, according to MPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\nResources realigned from offices to classrooms<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
District embraces \u2018Standard of Care\u2019 to reduce class sizes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n