OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Oshkosh Area School District school board approved cuts to close a $5.5 million budget deficit Wednesday night.
The measure passed 4-3.
“Thankful that the board took an important step for us to be fiscally sustainable as we’re moving forward,” said OASD Superintendent Bryan Davis. “To be able to make that $4.7 million in reductions, and then be able to work through our staffing to get us the rest of the way to the $5.5 [million].”
But we also want to recognize that this is a heavy topic. We’re talking about people, and we have a high-quality staff here in Oshkosh. So, I appreciate the board’s courage to be able to move forward. Very difficult decisions, and it’s been months in planning and conversations.
Details on the cuts
The original deficit was $6 million. Last month, the board voted down an initial proposal of cuts.
Here are the updated cuts, which have now been approved:
- Administrators won’t receive market-rate adjustments, saving $500,000 — brings deficit down to $5.5 million
- Central office: 8.9 positions eliminated ($1,720,000 in savings)
- District level: 10.7 positions eliminated ($1,087,500 in savings)
- Pre-K and elementary level: 14.9 positions eliminated ($1,181,000 in savings)
- Secondary level (middle and high school): 9.3 positions eliminated + TBD reductions ($683,800 in savings + ratio reductions savings)
At least 44 positions will be eliminated, plus more secondary teachers to be determined. Davis said it will likely be fewer than 23 teachers eliminated, though an exact number is unknown.
This will eliminate the $5.5 million deficit, according to Davis.
Two board members called for Davis’s firing
Brief contention arose when Kelly DeWitt and Timothy Hess voted to fire Davis during the meeting — a measure to be included with the proposed budget cuts. The measure was voted down by the other five board members.
The board voted to retain Davis at a recent meeting, though the exact vote is unknown, since it occurred in closed session.
Board member, multiple staff members voiced displeasure with cuts to media specialists
Board member Barbara Herzog proposed a resolution to remove the media specialists from the proposed cuts, which ultimately failed. Multiple staff members spoke about those cuts.
“Reducing licensed media specialists does not remove the need for literary instruction, digital citizenship or media literacy,” said Emily Heideman, herself a media specialist.
Added Oshkosh teacher Ta Feiter: “I believe that reducing the library media specialists will ultimately have a negative impact on our buildings, our staff and ultimately our students.”
Full list of position cuts
All reductions amount to one full-time position, unless otherwise noted.
Central office
- ArtsCore coordinator
- District Social Emotional Learning (SEL) coordinator
- HR specialist – substitute staffing
- Payroll manager
- Social studies curriculum coordinator
- Elementary STEM coordinator
- Transportation clerk
District level
- Carpenter
- Elementary Literacy Instructional Support Teacher (IST) – Interventionist (6.2 positions eliminated)
- Post-secondary navigator (currently vacant)
- School 2 Work and TRUE Academy Special Education Teacher Restructuring
- Special education Whatever It Takes (WIT) teacher
Pre-K and elementary level
- Media specialist reduction (2.6 positions eliminated)
- District-wide elementary specialist (music, art, PE; 3 positions eliminated)
- Elementary counselor
- Health assistant
- Shapiro: classroom teachers (3 positions eliminated)
- Shapiro: school secretary
- Shapiro: office assistant
- Shapiro: media assistant (0.8 positions eliminated)
- ESOL teacher FTE reduction (0.5 positions eliminated)
- Elementary principal – Roosevelt building
Secondary level
- Classroom staffing ratio increased to 27:1 (TBD positions, Davis said likely fewer than 23)
- Media specialist reduction (1.9 positions eliminated)
- Perry Tipler: school office assistant
- Oshkosh North: reduction for journalism, yearbook, drama and communities (1.4 positions eliminated)
- Oshkosh West: reduction for journalism, yearbook, drama and global academy (2 positions eliminated)
- Oshkosh West: media assistant
- Oshkosh West: eAcademy paraprofessional
- Oshkosh West: testing center paraprofessional
What’s next?
The cuts will take effect this upcoming school year (2026-27) and affected staff members have already been notified, according to Davis.
The district projects a $2 million deficit for 2027-28 school year already and expects to require cuts in each subsequent year due to declining enrollment and a shortfall of funding, according to Davis.
“This isn’t going to be the only year of this,” said Davis. “So, as we move forward, it’s not going to be as deep as this step, but we anticipate over the next two or three years that we’ll have to go through a similar process to work through it.”
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