Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is once again facing a numbers problem, and this time teachers and students are feeling the consequences.
According to Rory Linnane of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, MPS is seeking to move 55 teachers from their current positions at the end of October as part of its new approach to class sizes. 47 classrooms reportedly don’t have permanent teachers.
The changes come as the district struggles with an even bigger financial problem.
MPS says its 2026-27 budget is addressing a $46 million deficit from the 2024-25 school year.
According to our Heartland Post report, “MPS Board Approves $1.6 Billion Budget That Adds Teachers, Cuts Administrative Staff,” Milwaukee Board of School Directors approved a $1.6 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year. That budget addresses the $46 million structural deficit while adding classroom staff and reducing administrative positions.
Now, just months into the budget year, MPS is trying to balance class sizes, fill teacher vacancies and straighten out its finances at the same time.
Teachers and students are once again caught in the middle.
MPS is also considering proposals that could close or merge six school buildings. Declining enrollment and rising costs were cited as factors behind those proposals. No final decision has been announced.
How will students deal with teachers being uprooted after they have already spent weeks settling into their classrooms and building relationships?
MPS traditionally adjusts staffing after determining how many students actually attend each fall. This year, however, officials are also examining individual class sizes.
Some classrooms reportedly have enrollment around 14 students. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said significantly smaller classrooms are not financially sustainable given the district’s financial circumstances.
MPS cannot separate its staffing decisions from its financial crisis.
The Heartland Post also reported that MPS planned to eliminate the equivalent of approximately 260 non-classroom positions as part of the approved budget, with staffing reductions projected to save about $29.5 million.
MPS also projected enrollment would decline by more than 4,000 students, contributing to lower state aid. Despite this, Superintendent Cassellius is encouraging people to vote for a governor who will possibly help pass a referendum to help MPS increase its budget in the near future.
There’s a lot of instability for one school district and, more importantly, a lot of instability for Milwaukee children.
MPS reportedly hopes some of the affected teachers will fill classrooms that currently lack permanent teachers.
How many of the 55 teachers will fill the vacancies? How many classrooms currently without permanent teachers will receive one? How much money will MPS actually save through these October adjustments?
And after all the reshuffling, will Milwaukee children actually receive a better and more stable education?
Milwaukee’s children don’t need another temporary fix that simply readjusts classrooms. They need a stable school system that can put teachers where they’re needed and keep them there.
