GROSSE POINTE, Mich. – Grosse Pointe Schools is expected to make some difficult decisions on the district’s financial future.
After a long ugly budget process Tuesday (June 20), the school board is expected to vote on $4.6 million in cuts.
It’s cuts to central administration, but the district has had a declining financial situation for the last several years.
It’s a combo of ever-declining enrollment, a structural deficit not participating in schools of choice, and it all adds up to the Grosse Pointe Schools raiding its fund balance to the point its bond rating has been downgraded.
“Cutting people is never fun, but we’re going to be in much worse shape, and we’re going have to start losing programs we count on for our students do not right this ship financially,” said school board member Lisa Papas.
What’s on the table is $4.6 million in cuts which translates to a potential 15 teacher cuts. But it could be as low as four, depending on things like retirements or reduced hours.
It also means cutting positions in the central administration like communications. That process has been long and painful and has resulted in bad feelings all around.
That’s one of the things I can’t possibly support our budget,” said school board member Colleen Worden. “This budget has been presented to us because ‘I know even the communication about snow days.’
The vote continued after our Local 4 broadcast, but it is expected to be a 4-3 vote in favor of the board.