Ann Arbor school board approves budget plan after hours of public protest over cuts to music, languages and libraries

The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education voted to accept Superintendent Jess Parks' comprehensive budget‑reduction plan after a special meeting that drew more than 200 public comments and multiple petitions opposing cuts to student‑facing programs.

The decision, carried by roll call vote with six trustees in favor and one opposed, follows hours of testimony from students, teachers and parents who said the proposal would hollow out elementary world language instruction, reduce co‑teacher support in secondary music programs, and eliminate full‑time elementary librarians in some schools.

Parents and students told the board that music and language programs are central to equity and to the district's appeal. "You can't claim that you care about equity when you're cutting one of the most equitable programs the district provides," said Isha Sabi, a 10th grader at Huron High School, in public comment. Multiple speakers cited petitions and more than 600 written testimonies collected by student volunteers.

Superintendent Parks defended the recommendations as difficult but necessary steps to stabilize district finances. Parks clarified that the elementary world language program is concentrated in 4th and 5th grades with two 30‑minute weekly lessons and that staffing is hard because a small number of teachers serve multiple schools. "If we had staff out there that we could hire for these positions, we would," Parks said, noting the district has already eliminated several central‑office positions and will continue organizational reviews.

Board members repeatedly cited calendar and cash constraints. District staff told trustees they would need to issue layoff notices on a staggered timeline (some notices by May 30 and others by mid‑June) and publish a proposed budget on June 6 ahead of a board approval meeting later in June. Finance staff also told the board the district planned to borrow $15,000,000 to meet near‑term payroll needs at a cost of roughly $777,000 in interest and closing costs.

Trustees framed the vote as a choice between immediate fiscal action and continued uncertainty for staff. Trustee Schmidt, who moved to accept the plan, said trustees had authorized administration to craft a solution and that delaying a decision would leave staff without clear timelines for employment decisions. "No action is action," Schmidt said during discussion.

Opponents argued the cuts were poorly prioritized and disproportionately affected student‑facing staff and Title I schools. Speakers urged trustees to seek deeper reductions at the top of the administrative structure rather than in specials, libraries, and co‑teacher positions.

The vote on the motion to accept the plan was recorded by roll call: yes — Trustees Schmidt, Dupree, Mohammed, Baskett, Gaynor and President Feaster; no — Trustee Carahiro. Earlier in the meeting the board also voted to allow one minute per in‑person public commenter at the start of the meeting, a procedural decision that shaped how hundreds of attendees were heard.

Next steps include finalizing layoff notices and budget documents: district staff said a draft budget must be published on June 6 and the board will consider final approval later in the month. Trustees and staff said they remain open to restoring programs if revenues improve or if alternative savings are found.

The meeting record and written public comments are publicly available on the board's agenda portal, and trustees encouraged continued community engagement as the district completes the statutory budget process.