Milwaukee Public Schools to Add 89 Teachers Amid $46 Million Budget Cuts

District plans to hire more classroom teachers and paraprofessionals while reducing central office positions.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:22pm

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Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) announced plans to hire 89 teachers and 63 paraprofessionals for the next school year, while cutting more than 200 positions, primarily in the central office. District Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said the new hires will be based on student enrollment and classroom needs, with the goal of having 18 to 30 students per teacher. MPS is working to address a $46 million budget deficit through a combination of new revenue, central services reductions, and short-term savings.

Why it matters

The staffing changes at MPS reflect the district's efforts to prioritize classroom resources and direct more funding to student-facing roles, despite ongoing budget challenges. This shift comes as many school districts nationwide grapple with the financial impacts of the pandemic and seek to maintain educational quality amidst fiscal constraints.

The details

MPS announced it will hire 89 teachers and 63 paraprofessionals for the 2026-27 school year, while cutting over 200 positions, mostly in the central office. Superintendent Cassellius said the new hires will be based on student enrollment and classroom needs, with the goal of having 18 to 30 students per teacher. A hiring freeze remains in place for non-essential roles as the district works to identify savings to address its $46 million budget deficit. MPS said there will be no change in art, music, physical education, or library staffing.

  • MPS will present its final 2026–27 budget to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors in May.

The players

Brenda Cassellius

The superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Milwaukee Public Schools

The public school district serving the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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What they’re saying

“The positions we were adding were paraprofessionals who work with our students directly in the classroom, with the classroom teacher, and the positions that we're adding are classroom teacher positions. So they'll have anywhere from 18 to 30 students in front of them and they'll be the teacher of record.”

— Brenda Cassellius, Superintendent

What’s next

MPS will present its final 2026-27 budget to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors in May, which will provide more details on the district's staffing and funding plans for the upcoming school year.

The takeaway

Despite facing a $46 million budget deficit, Milwaukee Public Schools is prioritizing classroom resources by adding nearly 90 new teacher positions while making cuts to central office roles. This shift reflects the district's efforts to maintain educational quality and support student learning amidst ongoing fiscal challenges.