Milwaukee City Wire

The Milwaukee Board of School Directors has approved a $1.5 billion budget for the 2025-26 school year. This marks the first budget submission by MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, who assumed her role in March. The financial plan aims to enhance literacy instruction, address student absenteeism, improve family engagement, restructure Central Services, and boost teacher recruitment.

“This budget provides clear guidance on priorities and the next steps the district must take to accelerate better outcomes for our students,” said Dr. Cassellius. She acknowledged future challenges: “While we are being intentional about how we are using our precious resources this year to steer our academic agenda, we must also begin to acknowledge that there will be tough decisions to come next year as we confront the financial realities coming our way."

In May, Cassellius introduced a new organizational chart intended to improve academic results and operational efficiency within the district.

Key investments in the FY26 budget include:

- Establishing eight Academic Superintendent positions with an increase of approximately $2.5 million, offset by eliminating five Regional Superintendent roles.

- Creating four Managers of Operations positions with an increase of about $1 million, offset by cutting Instructional Leader Director roles.

- Forming the Office of Families, Communities, and Partnerships to support families and foster partnerships with local businesses and organizations.

- Launching a Department of Legal and Labor Relations to assist school leaders while allowing Human Resources to focus on teacher recruitment and retention.

- Adding staff for 16 new special education classrooms due to rising numbers of students with special needs.

- Allocating an additional $2.8 million for facilities work including more building services helpers and holiday pay for tradespeople.

- Investing $2 million in a new Safe Schools Hub.

- Increasing funding by $2 million for occupational therapist salaries and other special education practitioners.

- Funding special education apprentice teachers with an additional $1.4 million.

- Hiring 10 ESL teachers with an increase of $1.2 million.

- Implementing state law requiring school resource officers at a cost of $775,000.

- Improving high school salad bars with a budget of $650,000.

- Expanding the Office of Finance by adding four positions at a cost of $350,000.

MPS has also allocated at least $16 million from its Long-Term Capital Improvement Trust for lead stabilization work in schools.