By 5-2 vote, MPS Board approves plan to cut 260+ positions as district tries to plug $46M budget gap
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – On Monday night, March 9, the Milwaukee school board voted in favor of a budget plan that would cut more than 260 positions from the district.
The vote came after loud and unified opposition to the plan.
But Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said the $46 million budget deficit has to be plugged somehow.
And Cassellius and the administration are trying to find those cuts in areas that will impact student learning the least.
But assistant principal positions and interventionists are among those on the chopping block. And the educators who rely on them loudly spoke out Monday night.
Cassellius explained that with little new revenue coming in, the $46 million has to come from somewhere.
And the plan is to cut non-teaching support staff members. Those members are furious.
Sara Cruz is the principal at La Escuela Fratney. She implored the administration to “Include principals in decisions about our schools.”
The majority of speakers Monday night were educators, many of them facing elimination.
Elizabeth Kosmach is a special education teacher at MPS. She said, “Dr. Cassellius is creating chaos from within, and it keeps going.”
All who spoke were in overwhelming opposition to Cassellius’ proposal to cut 260+ non-teaching positions.
The district says 45 of the positions are already vacant, and 180 could transition into teaching roles.
Cassellius explained, “These decisions are tremendously difficult. I understand the gravity of that. Our decisions impact real people and their families.”
Several principals spoke about the roles their assistant principals fill in academics, student support, and student safety.
Metcalfe School’s principal, Melinda Gladney, said, “When these positions disappear, the needs they address do not disappear with them.”
Dr. Juan Baez, the principal at Milwaukee School of Languages, said, “When that support is reduced, teacher stress increases, contributing to burnout and staff turnover.”
Some board members voiced concerns, like Supervisor Mimi Reza, who told Cassellius, “In regard to assistant principals, they are essential. They are the backbone of principals.”
And while Cassellius acknowledged their value, she says the district is overstaffed. “This plan is hard, but it protects classrooms in keeping with the value we all agreed on.”
Mateo de la Cruz is a student delegate on the board. When discussing the budget gap, he said, “There’s no way that can be filled with no detriment to student experience.”
It’s not yet decided which assistant principals would be cut. Building principals have two weeks to continue working with budget analysts.
Cassellius said she promised principals they would get what they need. “I also said you may not get everything you want, but you will get what you need.”
But it was of little comfort to most in the audience, like Stanley Shelton, the dean of students at Morse Middle School. Shelton received raucous cheers when he referenced the audience while telling the board, “There is no you without us.”
Over the next couple of weeks, the district will identify who will be cut.
They will meet with affected staff, ask for any volunteers and retirements, and then reassign any eligible staff to other open positions in the district.
March 24 is when they plan to issue formal notices to who will be cut.