Several budget amendments that would have increased staff and funding at five Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) schools during the 2025-26 school year were voted down by the school board on Monday, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The proposed amendments followed the district’s removal of multiple positions as part of its regular process to assign staff across MMSD based on enrollment changes and student need.
The amendments would have sent a total of roughly 18 full-time equivalent staff and around $2.2 million in funding to provide:
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Lapham Elementary with one second-grade teacher;
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O’Keeffe Middle School with eight half-time teachers and two half-time educational assistants;
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East High School with three full-time teachers;
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La Follette High School with three full-time teachers, two full-time education assistants and two positive behavior intervention specialists; and
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West High School with one full-time teacher and two half-time educational assistants.Â
A 6-1 vote killed the amendments, with Nicki Vander Meulen the only board member in favor. However, the board approved a budget proposal to add 10 substitute teacher positions that would be assigned solely to 10 schools with historical difficulty obtaining regular substitutes. That proposal passed 4-3.
