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Board approves appointments and personnel items as public commenters denounce cuts to paraprofessionals
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Summary
The board approved administrative appointments, personnel reports, contracts, and grant/donation items. Public commenters raised concerns that paraprofessionals had their hours reduced; administration said it is offering 40‑hour options and will hire roughly 63–65 additional paras.
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted on a set of personnel items, appointments and contracts across multiple agenda items and heard strong public comment about paraprofessional staffing.
Administration presented recommended administrative appointments and limited‑term employment contracts; the board approved the slate by voice and roll call after members praised particular placements. For monthly personnel matters, Ingrid Walker Henry (MTEA) said the superintendent had "slashed nearly 600 paras to 30 hours" and delivered petitions urging the board to restore hours. Administration responded that the district is not cutting 600 paras; instead, it said some hours were held back while budgets were reconciled and that paras who wish to move to 40 hours and schools that need the hours will be allowed to do so. Administration said it expects to hire about 63–65 additional paraprofessionals.
On related business, the board authorized purchases, accepted donations, approved professional‑services contracts and exception‑to‑bid items, and approved facilities contracts tied to prior Fund‑46 investment approvals. The board also approved a set of five‑year charter contracts (Ideal, La Causa, Whittier), renewed a one‑year agreement with Milwaukee Area Technical College to serve at‑risk students (increasing seats from 45 to 55 for 2026–27), and continued behavioral reassignment seat contracts with Banner Prep (200 seats) and Lad Lake Synergy (110 seats) for the coming year.
Votes on these items passed on recorded roll calls as listed in the meeting record. Administration committed to distributing written guidance to principals and paraprofessionals about changes in hours and to continuing meet‑and‑confer engagement, and to report back to the board on hiring and hour‑increase implementation.
