One year after facing a proposed budget that would have eliminated dozens of teacher positions and significantly reduced funding for schools, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) directors, administrators, and stakeholders would be justified in breathing a sigh of relief upon initial review of the 2020 proposed budget. Not only does the proposed budget steer clear of teacher reductions, but it would add 60 teachers and raise the pay of most employees by 2.44%. The budget also holds overall funding for schools steady and largely spares central service offices from the types of sweeping cuts made in 2019.
These accomplishments are particularly noteworthy given the budget’s assumption that the district’s perennial revenue challenges will improve only minimally. With the fate of state aids and revenue limits – which affect nearly three quarters of MPS’ budget – still to be determined by state budget deliberations in Madison, the proposed budget counts on no increases from the state and only modest increases in federal revenue.
So how does the proposed budget add positions
