As most students are aware by now, the Ann Arbor Public Schools is in financial trouble. First released to the public in an email from Interim Superintendent Jazz Parks, “the district will need to cut approximately $25 million from the 2024-25 operating budget.” In her email, Parks claims that there will be an investigation into the district’s financials, so an error like this will not occur again. She also attributed the budget shortfall to increased hiring, raises for staff, and most importantly, a decrease in enrolled students.

In response to the immediate concerns from the community, the District decided to release surveys for concerned staff and parents, along with student surveys for 3rd to 8th graders. The survey aimed to poll community members for their views on the reduction of budget. The survey closed April 5, and the AAPS released its comprehensive budget plan 42 days later.

On May 17, the Ann Arbor Public Schools officially released their plans to reduce the budget. Parks, though not required to, requested an AAPS Board of Education vote to confirm the plan. Most notably, this plan calculated for the lay offs of 141 AAPS employees, including 94 teachers.

Three days later, on May 20, the Board brought it to a vote with a special meeting at Pioneer High School. It was approved with a 6-1 final vote. “The vote…brings certainty to staff who have asked for it,” said Board President Torchio Fester, “and allows us to develop a budget for the coming school year and work together to grow this great district.”

Park’s plan will reduce $20.4 million for the 2024-25 school year, just under the $25 million needed. “As we implement this plan, which represents a 6% reduction of our overall budget,” said Parks in her announcement, “we are also crafting communications efforts to address one of the root causes of our current situation: declining student enrollment.”

Desmond Smith, principal of Pioneer, said he believes that the district will protect the programs that staff and students value. “I believe that the district is committed to maintaining the integrity of the programs we have that are in place,” he said.

For the 2024-25 school year at least, the budget plan has a lot of changes for elementary schools. For one, all world languages will be eliminated, with the exception of English for EL students. Tyler Vess, a Pioneer French teacher, said the elimination of world languages for the younger age groups is disappointing. “ As a culture, we are taking a step back from the rest of the world,” he said. “Most students in other countries are bilingual, or even trilingual.”

In a Superintendent Update sent out to staff and the community on May 21, Parks said she wanted to confirm that “Library programs are not being cut and school libraries are not being closed,” addressing a rumor that had been circulating. However, the Budget Plan does aim for a few librarians to work in multiple schools. In addition, the number of co-teachers for music classes will be reduced.

The District also intends to maintain Bryant/Pattengill’s IB status, with two IB coordinators. They will eliminate grades 3-5th of A2 Virtual schooling, as only 8 students had signed on for the 2024-25 school year.  As well, the district plans to close all middle school pools, with the exception of Mack Pool at Ann Arbor Open.

When it comes to class sizes, the budget plan claims that they will stay the same. According to the document, “given the diverse range of social, emotional, behavioral and academic needs of our students, we aim to maintain well-balanced class sizes.”

The number of staff, on the other hand, does appear to be changing. Four empty staff positions over the past year at central administration will not be filled, and 94 teaching positions are slated to be eliminated. Those teacher salaries will account for $7.8 million of the budget shortfall. These teachers will join three administrators, 19 support staff members, and 1 director heading to lay off.

“None of the decisions in the plan are desirable,” says Superintendent Parks. “Our goal has been to make the necessary changes while minimizing the impact on students.