MPS Supporting Employees Receiving Excess Letters as Part of Non-Classroom Reductions

(MILWAUKEE) — Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Brenda Cassellius today announced that the district will undertake a comprehensive approach to supporting employees based in Central Services and in non‑classroom school positions who are receiving excess letters as part of the district’s previously approved reduction of about 260 non‑classroom roles. Ultimately, about 201 current MPS employees will be impacted, after accounting for retirements and already vacant positions.

“These decisions are incredibly difficult, and we deeply value every member of our MPS team,” said Dr. Cassellius. “At the same time, these reductions allow us to prioritize classrooms, safeguard instruction, and address our structural deficit. We are taking necessary steps to strengthen the educational experience for all MPS students.”

Excess letters indicate that an employee’s current position will not exist next school year; it does not automatically result in a layoff. The district is actively working to retain its affected staff, connecting them with available classroom roles, other district positions, and, when needed, external employment opportunities.

The 201 affected positions include about 70 positions based in central office (including a deputy superintendent position and chief of schools position on the senior team), 62 implementer positions (educators who hold a teaching license but are not assigned to one classroom) and 59 assistant principal positions. The district is overstaffed at Central Services based on an analysis from the Council of the Great City Schools, and MPS has more assistant principals than other large urban districts nationally and in Wisconsin. At 350 students to one assistant principal, MPS will continue to have a stronger ratio than its peers.

Protecting Classrooms and Realigning Resources

The non‑classroom reductions—totaling about $30 million in savings—are part of a plan to eliminate the district’s $46 million structural budget imbalance. In addition to the reductions for 2026-27, MPS is reducing contract spending in the current year (2025-26) by about $5 million to address the gap.

Importantly, no classroom teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists or social workers are being cut through the excess process to close the budget gap. As is the district’s practice, there may be fewer staff assigned to a school where there is lower enrollment. MPS is also maintaining support for students with special needs and completing an audit to ensure that all required services are provided. There may be additional special education resources needed, and they could be added to the budget later in the process or in the annual fall adjustment process.

The savings generated help MPS implement new class-size guidelines that protect and, in some cases, reduce class sizes. Guidelines include 18 students per teacher at K3, 20 at K4 and 22 at K5. This is part of a basic standard of care that includes one assistant principal for every 350 students and continued central funding of art, music, physical education, librarians, counselors, nurses, psychologists and social workers. No students will be asked to leave a school to meet class size guidelines, and the district is working with schools that do not have the space to do so or need larger classes based on their specific programs.

Supporting Employees Through Transition

MPS has already posted internal-only principal positions and will post additional vacancies, including classroom-based roles, on April 1 as part of the first hiring cycle, known as Cycle A. Affected employees will be supported as they pursue these roles. For those not placed within MPS, the district will provide assistance connecting to other employers.

Addressing Critical Needs and Next Steps

Through its critical needs process, the district has approved additional school-based supports to schools throughout the district, including classroom teaching positions, paraprofessional positions, art teaching positions, music teaching positions, physical education teaching positions and counseling positions.

Additionally, MPS continues bargaining in good faith with its union partners, meeting last week with the Psychologists Association of the Milwaukee Public Schools (PAMPS) and this week with the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA). MPS is also working with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction on potential school improvement funds to support instructional facilitator positions. If additional savings are achieved or if the state provides new revenue, the district will revisit pending critical needs requests.

The district remains on target to present its proposed 2026–27 budget in May to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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