Kenosha Schools Considers Drastic Cuts to Address $17 Million Deficit

Kenosha Unified School District administration building. Alexroberson (CC BY)

The Kenosha Unified School District is weighing several options to reduce its expected $17 million budget deficit if a planned November referendum fails.

Those options include eliminating 40 teaching positions and cutting sports programs and art.

The district is also considering increasing class sizes and closing Reuther Central High School, an alternative school for students that have struggled in traditional high schools.

Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss has been meeting with the school board this month to discuss the necessary budget reductions for fiscal year 2027-28.

“I want to put it out right up front that these cuts will happen should the referendum be unsuccessful or if we decide not to go forward with one,” Weiss said.

On Tuesday, the board is expected to approve finalized budget reductions and the general language that will be included in survey questions sent out to the community to gauge their support for a referendum.

Weiss told the board he wants to make sure voters know the consequences of failing to approve a referendum.

“I really think it’s important that we communicate with the public what’s at stake,” he said.

The last referendum — held in February 2025 — failed by an eight-point margin.

During a recent meeting, board member Rebecca Stevens said for the sake of the community, people need to be shown how the possible cuts could affect students.

“And I think that you have to look at the music programs and all the additional programs, theater, everything that we do,” Stevens said. “I’m not saying I want to see that cut, I’m saying that might happen if we don’t have the money coming in.”

Board member Bob Tierney said he doesn’t want to see sports cut.

“That’s just dumb,” Tierney said. “But it would be a good tool if you are trying to pass a referendum.”

Tierney also cautioned the board about telling the community the public school district is losing money to private schools. Doing so pits people against one another, he said.

“Security, safety, teachers, high value, highly qualified teachers, those are the main things,” he said.

The Kenosha Unified School District is facing the same budget woes many public school districts are dealing with.

The district, which covers the city of Kenosha along with Pleasant Prairie and Somers, had about 17,800 students for the 2025-26 school year, down more than 700 students from the previous year.

Wisconsin’s school funding system limits the amount of revenue school districts can receive each year from state aid and local property taxes. These revenue limits are tied primarily to state-approved adjustments and student enrollment.

For many years, state funding adjustments have not kept pace with inflation.

As a result, Kenosha’s revenue has grown much more slowly than the cost of operating schools, according to district officials.

Meanwhile, expenses such as curriculum and instructional materials, utilities, health insurance, transportation and employee salaries continue to increase.

At the same time, declining enrollment driven by an ongoing decrease in birth rates has reduced the number of students attending the district’s schools, which has in turn limited district revenue because the state’s school funding formula is calculated using student population.

Increased competition from neighboring districts, private schools, charter schools and other educational options has also contributed to enrollment challenges, district officials say.

The Kenosha Unified School District board approved a district consolidation and downsizing plan in December 2023 to tackle a $15 million deficit. Four of the buildings were torn down to make way for redevelopment.

Kenosha schools consider cutting sports, 40 teaching positions to address $17M deficit was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.