[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6210778,"mediaKeyId","3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371","parentId",3707670,"title","MPS proposes $1.5 billion FY26 budget with targeted investments and warns of a large structural deficit","audioSeconds",1765,"startMs",927000,"endMs",2692000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371&start=927&end=2692","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371/thumbnail_927000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6210778/Wisconsin/MPS-proposes-15-billion-FY26-budget-with-targeted-investments-and-warns-of-a-large-structural-deficit","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210778-65119b3090ab78453e3c3d99c30c79f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773709836&Signature=UlAFAFWDZyM0p5w~aPIFgcMRrWfVZGQHN6lL6~K3BlLI~4rzes-z6ZJRNBRxae6EtxT5pvxY5nQNFjNP65WpO2TI6YsuxdRqYLtSFNnlKCvekKKEFAiwDctp0O16~QHVBxRZ~~T2iy52R~ISt5X0ZJJpRvA5SaXkxOuxbg7VR3aplwRRn9vuySvHxMRhBFkuiipOQLlYfZFlp84sHzBYNJ02OFZrXb6~NCKoGLT6b4JRNO-BgNcd~lWrjVCAyCwdeI-NtVbwq6dRf0DZdX7JFK6VcM0E0Mc-6sZZhCfgg6wxbynbqcwp2gbPNUtDuLS4BLbg2XnsGGbiZiaSIw0i8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Milwaukee School District, WI","date","2025-06-06T13:09:59Z","article","Dr. Brenda Cassellius, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, presented the district's FY26 proposed budget at an informational committee hearing, saying the plan centers students while acknowledging a looming shortfall. \"I am very proud of this budget,\" Cassellius said, adding that the plan seeks to \"fill vacancies within our schools\" and prioritize English-learner and special education services.

The administration's proposed revenue-and-expenditure plan covers roughly $1,500,000,000 in combined funds and supports more than 9,500 educators and staff serving nearly 66,000 students. Budget director Nick Synram told the committee the document shows revenues across multiple funds — operations, nutrition, grants and the Long Term Capital Improvement Trust — and that the district's largest source is the school operations fund.

Why it matters: Cassellius and Synram said the district faces structural pressure from declining enrollment, rigid state funding formulas and inflation. The superintendent warned the board is likely facing a $75 million to $110 million deficit in the next fiscal year if additional revenue is not secured. In that context, the administration framed the FY26 proposal as a set of targeted, short-run investments intended to stabilize operations and support student outcomes while longer-term corrective actions are developed.

Key investments and numbers: The proposal includes a roughly $16,000,000 allocation from the Long Term Capital Improvement Trust for lead abatement and facility work; creation of eight \"academic superintendent\" positions (about $2,500,000) and four managers of operations to support principals; a $13,000,000 increase to pass-through funding for private schools tied to the Special Needs Scholarship Program; 10 additional ESL/English-learner classroom teachers (the administration cited an approximate $1,200,000 cost); funding for 16 new special-education classroom seats; a $3,250,000 inflation adjustment for transportation contracts; $3,500,000 for the common school fund (library materials); $2,800,000 for school operations (including 20 additional building service helpers); a $2,000,000 investment in a \"safe schools hub\" and $2,000,000 for occupational therapy and other special-education practitioner salaries; $775,000 to implement a state law requiring school resource officers; $650,000 to improve salad bars in high schools; $400,000 for a surge remote-learning program; and a $350,000 increase for finance-office positions to support corrective action work.

Vacancies and staffing: Cassellius said the district currently has about 143 classroom positions open and 134 paraprofessional vacancies; she also said 62 of the classroom vacancies are in special education. In committee discussion a later speaker read the proposed budget's line-item summary noting \"approximately 391 school vacancies, including 43 classroom teaching positions,\" and 62 special-education vacancies, demonstrating differing vacancy tallies in the materials and remarks. Nick Synram said the Excel line-item budget posted online contains the detailed counts and that staff can provide a school-by-school grant and vacancy breakdown on request.

Operational context and follow-up: Synram and the superintendent stressed that FY26 is intended as a transitional budget with a shorter runway for public engagement this year; the administration plans a longer public process for FY27 beginning in October. The proposed adoption schedule: public hearings June 2 and June 12, an additional public hearing June 17 (public testimony only), and board consideration on June 24. The superintendent said the administration will continue to study options to increase revenue, reduce costs, and change how vacancy savings are anticipated in the budget.

Administration comments on other issues: Cassellius said the district will continue community-school work and is coordinating with United Way to transition leadership so core community-school services remain in place despite some partner funding losses. She also confirmed menstrual product dispensers and supplies are included in the FY26 proposal as an equity and student-support measure. On food services, the superintendent said the district plans to expand salad bar access and explore more scratch-cooked and farm-to-school options.

Public involvement and next steps: The committee treated the budget presentation as informational; no vote was taken at the hearing. The administration invited public comment and provided an email inbox (budget25@milwaukee.k12.wi.us) for written submissions. Synram said staff can produce more user-friendly breakdowns of federal grants by school site and other line-item details if the board or public requests them.

Ending: The superintendent emphasized the need to balance short-term investments with longer-term fiscal stability, saying the district must \"put the dollars where they are needed the most to ensure the academic success [and] wellness of our students\" while planning for corrective actions to close the projected gap.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","6-5-2025 Committee on Strategic Planning and Budget (SPB)","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Brenda Cassellius, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, presented the district's FY26 proposed budget at an informational committee hearing, saying the plan centers students while acknowledging a looming shortfall.","taxTitle","Milwaukee School District, School Districts, Wisconsin","taxId",14856,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6210769,"Clerical errors and reorganization prompt community demand for clarity on bilingual and newcomer services",3407,3101000,6508000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371&start=3101&end=6508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371/thumbnail_3101000.jpg","/articles/6210769/Wisconsin/Clerical-errors-and-reorganization-prompt-community-demand-for-clarity-on-bilingual-and-newcomer-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210769-d3be7a5fe4c8df07781185a8799ea60d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773709836&Signature=nQB9ZpfbggVRiv7fNOAhZSKNFHRgUaAApd-bceSXxBm030x~G8sOEvdXtPE7DX4DrPxzH3UWmOFl6eYCyZVn242IfJAStxZorNuAdXSCYerSwWUeQq5iY0~aF4QqpNy0SdI1GmlF6gzQq6DwPL06yYYugjVHuXMCWpjKyeYPq7gC1vf4MjPw3fVTPAcSQDmZJdNERFND6S5UMOxKLu7KCTE65PtvgKpW7oJTJMObpB~ywIEBDQinNt~1zA2HhQqfkm3VNaE9uvb~ZgyDqjluiaX3~qQrhuEFIEF0ZqvtsfmAef2ukLTjBcqsfy1kZrUgHl6omLg8ZU9Wtm9shsfGvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple community speakers and bilingual educators told the committee that a clerical error in the public draft of the FY26 budget created confusion about whether the district's bilingual and multilingual programs would remain intact.

\"In the current version, we are not able to discern where the positions for the department of BMA are located,\" said Alondra Garcia, a second-grade bilingual teacher and vice president of the Wisconsin Association for Bilingual Education (WEAVE). Maricela Aguilar Monroy, an ESL teacher at the Newcomer Center at South Division, said the error \"was so confusing, I was worried we were all gonna be moved out of our school placement.\" Monica Hubbell, who works in the Lau Center, described the department's role enrolling and assessing students who speak 85 languages and said the office \"is not an afterthought\" and must be funded and clearly reflected in budget documents.

Administration response and clarifications: Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Mims Howe told the committee the bilingual-multicultural office will be renamed \"multicultural, multilingual\" and that services for bilingual students, ESL, First Nations students and family-engagement supports will continue. Budget director Nick Synram said the full line-item budget posted online includes all positions and that a \"glitch\" in the summary documents caused some positions to appear elsewhere in summary sheets. Synram offered to help stakeholders find the specific account codes and to produce a clearer published version.

Newcomer Center and ESL teachers: The budget lists 10 additional ESL classroom teachers; Jennifer Mims Howe and Dr. Cassellius said those positions are temporarily budgeted to the Newcomer Center while the district finalizes school assignments based on fall enrollment counts. Mims Howe said the district will assign positions after finalizing counts and that central budgeting should allow the district to make whole-time positions when equitable.

Community requests: Speakers asked the district to use asset-based language (\"English learners\" or \"multilingual learners\" rather than \"ESL\"), to publish a corrected budget that lists bilingual/multilingual positions with clear allocations, and to commit to keeping the bilingual program as an identifiable department with the same services the community has relied upon. Several asked the board to delay a vote until corrected materials are posted so the public can review line-item allocations.

Ending: The administration pledged to publish more usable budget detail, to assist stakeholders in locating grant and position line items in the full budget file, and to include families and program staff in planning for the renamed multicultural, multilingual office.","Community members, bilingual educators and MPS staff raised concerns at the budget hearing after clerical errors in the published budget summary obscured where bilingual/multilingual staff and services are budgeted. Administration and the budget office said the positions are included in the full line-item budget and pledged clearer documentation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6210773,"Teachers, parents and union demand guaranteed extracurricular funding across MPS",2780,4618000,7398000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371&start=4618&end=7398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3707670-1289274d0e2e1e0f91f15b739431d371/thumbnail_4618000.jpg","/articles/6210773/Wisconsin/Teachers-parents-and-union-demand-guaranteed-extracurricular-funding-across-MPS","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210773-f9ff8a0b40ecd67f299ef1838bc096de/orig.mp4?Expires=1773709836&Signature=H1-vpOhBEEM5vDiXuYmgAap~Qk-Id4gACOH-96BpodI8lIFlLlC--bws8bEhfV11osvIAONLLgUWQbPFUxrs4zlNMGKkLUAN4HeT8yCoAgRtCQY4pdnPsAehwIXJbOXqX82Zm2i0QghO-swst~xucm38iwzmrK0QZ7e5~-EG9yUJd8FQAFBDfOkB7RztKUmihSjEjiB~ZjI1o8Hw6~J27QGJlGjahyJCr4FKAlmggAUUk0uJIqefnkm~lcPBOBYxUSMc3i-eAuD7fi~oIp~zscEViXdQ-s2dIdBN9Ay4v3HifPbrecOk5BMh88Jqi-kGe23UDuScZU5KoUjo~0t8fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Union leaders, coaches and classroom teachers told the committee the FY26 proposal does not include a districtwide guarantee for extracurricular activities that they said was previously promised. Ingrid Walker Henry, president of the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA), told the committee MTEA and the district had reached an agreement in a prior meet-and-confer that would restore extracurriculars; she said the current administration \"will not include any budget toward extracurricular programming in her 20 25, 'twenty 6 budget.\"

\"All of our students in public schools deserve equitable access to extracurricular activities that enrich their education,\" said Niccolo Onorato, an MTEA public-education advocate and teacher, listing clubs and activities that support student engagement. James Nelson, a high-school teacher who spoke later on the virtual line, said restoring a full slate of extracurriculars would cost \"less than 1% of the budget\" and urged the board to consider the union's plan before finalizing the FY26 spending.

Why it matters: Multiple speakers linked extracurricular offerings to attendance, school belonging and graduation. Teachers and parents said disparities are tied to zip codes and to which schools participate in selective-enrollment programs. Speakers said removing or underfunding activities harms students who are already underserved.

Public testimony highlights: Speakers included MTEA representatives, coaches and classroom teachers from high schools and middle schools across the district. Examples cited during testimony included competitive forensics and debate programs that keep students engaged, yearbooks and athletic teams. Speakers said some schools have minimal or nominal extracurricular offerings while others have robust programs.

Administration response: Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius told the committee there were \"no cuts to co curriculars\" in the FY26 proposal but acknowledged the administration has not yet had time to catalogue every program across schools and that school-level budgets issued before the superintendent arrived reflected many local decisions. Cassellius said extracurricular access is a district value and that she aims to eliminate school fees and expand equitable access but that she needs more time to evaluate and propose a districtwide approach.

Next steps: Multiple speakers urged the board to amend the FY26 proposal to include explicit, dedicated funding for extracurriculars. The committee's informational hearing concluded with the administration inviting written testimony and promising more detailed budget breakdowns ahead of the board's June consideration.","Dozens of teachers, union leaders and parents urged the Milwaukee Board of School Directors to restore and guarantee a full slate of extracurricular activities for all high schools and traditional middle schools, saying a centralized approach and past cuts have left many students without access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

MPS proposes $1.5 billion FY26 budget with targeted investments and warns of a large structural deficit

Clerical errors and reorganization prompt community demand for clarity on bilingual and newcomer services

Teachers, parents and union demand guaranteed extracurricular funding across MPS