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Hundreds of speakers press Ann Arbor school board to avoid layoffs and to release budget details
Summary
Dozens of teachers, parents and students urged the Ann Arbor Public Schools board Monday night to pause proposed cuts, reverse a $3-an-hour reduction for paraprofessionals and publish full financial documents as the district rushes to close a projected $25 million shortfall.
The Ann Arbor Public Schools board heard more than 100 public comments Monday night, with the majority of speakers urging the district to halt proposed teacher layoffs, reverse proposed cuts to paraprofessionals and release detailed budget documents.
"We need to understand why families left," said Dana Caldwell during public comment, urging the district to survey families who left the district to learn whether school programs or services drove departures. "We need to understand the enrollment issues in order to address them in the future." (Comment by Dana Caldwell)
Several speakers emphasized the human impact of staffing reductions. "Teachers are the backbone of our education system," said Charlie Cook, asking trustees to spare instruction staff and warning that even a single layoff would harm students and families. Jeff Demas, a classroom teacher, asked bluntly, "Tonight, say, when will we know if this is going to happen?" and implored the board to give staff a clear timeline so they could plan. (Comments by Charlie Cook; Jeff Demas)
Many commenters focused on paraprofessionals, a group the district earlier said had received a one-year pay bump under a memorandum of agreement. The assistant superintendent of human resources clarified during the meeting that the bump was a one-year pilot and would need bargained renewal. "That pilot was not intended to be permanent," the HR official said, and bargaining is ongoing.
Speakers repeatedly demanded transparency. Several parents and teachers asked the board to publish the district's underlying financial documents rather than only top-line projections. "Release all financial documents and data, not just the projections," said multiple commenters who identified themselves as parents and teachers at Title I and other high-need schools.
Board members acknowledged the public outcry. Interim Superintendent Jazz Parks told the board she is assembling a budget plan informed by community feedback and union input and said the district plans to bring recommendations forward "as quickly as possible," aiming for next week. Parks said the district is balancing the need to move swiftly with the need to gather data and consult stakeholder groups before finalizing proposals.
Trustees pressed for specifics and for a process that minimizes harm. Several trustees sought assurances that the district would prioritize protecting student-facing staff and Title I programs. Some board members asked for more time to review recommendations; others urged the administration to notify affected staff promptly so they could make personal plans.
The board did not take formal votes on layoffs or program cuts Monday. Instead, trustees asked administration to return with a staffing and fiscal proposal that details projected savings, proposed timing for layoffs or reductions, and the criteria used to make recommendations. The board also asked that the administration clarify what options (sales of property, delayed expenditures, targeted cuts) were considered and why particular recommendations were advanced.
The meeting intensified frustration over timing: many speakers said they were bewildered that a major budget shortfall and possible staff reductions were being discussed during Teacher Appreciation Week. The board set a follow-up to consider the superintendent's recommendations and to continue public engagement.
