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Milwaukee public voices pressure school board at FY27 budget hearing over staff cuts and equity rollbacks
Summary
At a May 12 public hearing on the Milwaukee Public Schools FY2027 budget, parents, teachers and union representatives urged restoration of assistant-principal and paraprofessional hours, full cost‑of‑living adjustments, and continued investment in restorative-practices and equity departments; the board took no action at the hearing.
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors convened a statutory public hearing on May 12 to gather community input on the proposed FY2027 budget. Dozens of speakers — parents, teachers, MTEA representatives and restorative-practices staff — told the board the proposal’s staffing reductions and department restructures threaten school safety, student supports and equity work.
"The board says safety is a priority, but this budget does not reflect that," said Kristen Payne, a parent at Golda Meir Lower Campus, citing the district’s planned reductions in assistant principals and criticizing a recent $2 million contract for weapons-detection systems that she said lacks strong independent evidence of effectiveness. Multiple speakers argued that site-based leadership and restorative supports keep students safe and connected daily.
Restorative-practices staff and community members urged the board to preserve departments that focus on Black and Latino male achievement, gender identity and inclusion. "Equity is providing support based on the needs of students," said Denise Thomasi of the restorative-practices team, arguing that replacing four student-facing departments with a small supervisory team and training school psychologists and social workers will not replicate sustained, relationship-based equity work.
Teachers and counselors also urged the board to restore pay and hours. Mary Groen, speaking for hundreds of counselors, welcomed a proposed 200‑day counselor contract in the FY27 draft and urged adoption of the full 2.63% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Several speakers identified delayed or phased COLA payments as an inadequate response to rising costs.
Others focused on technical issues behind staffing decisions: Grappy High School teacher Dave Elesheimer urged the board to demand the methodology from an outside firm used for enrollment projections, saying its models appear to undercount students at predominantly African‑American schools and have driven disproportionate cuts.
No formal debate or vote occurred at the hearing. Board leadership reminded attendees that the committee on strategic planning and budget will consider amendments in additional meetings on May 19 and May 28, when final action on the proposed FY27 budget is expected.
