District projects $10–12M shortfall; board weighs cuts including possible closure of Katherine Johnson Academy

Green Bay Area Public Schools staff told the Board of Education on March 10 that the district is projecting a $10 million to $12 million operating deficit for the 2025–26 school year and presented a menu of possible reductions and short‑term measures to close the gap.

The fiscal presentation explained the shortfall stems from long‑term revenue limits, the pause in inflationary increases to state aid dating to 2009, and the winding down of federal ESSER funds. “We are projecting at this time somewhere between 10 and $12,000,000 in deficit for the 2025–26 school year,” a district presenter said during the operations update.

Board members and the public focused most attention on a proposed list of options staff presented to the board for discussion, which included district and board‑level measures such as reducing department and building budgets, continuing attrition‑based FTE reductions, and several personnel and benefits changes. Staff also listed as a potential savings item “reduce or close KJ [Katherine Johnson] Academy” with an estimated fiscal effect “up to $800,000.” The superintendent and operations staff framed the set of proposals as items for board discussion and direction rather than final decisions.

Why it matters: The district’s operating referendum that supplies recurring operating capacity is set to expire after the 2026–27 school year, creating longer‑term pressure on…