Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Brenda Cassellius on Thursday presented the district’s initial base wage proposals, as negotiations begin for the next collective bargaining agreement with members of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (MTEA) and the Psychologists Association of the Milwaukee Public Schools (PAMPS).  

The proposals reflect the legal framework governing collective bargaining in Wisconsin and the district’s long-term financial outlook. Under state law, bargaining is limited to total base wages, with increases capped by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), currently 2.63%.   

All options presented would increase base wages for employees represented in these units by 2.63% by January 1, 2027. As a continuation of the district’s commitment to transparency throughout the budget process, the full proposals for MTEA (PDF) and PAMPS (PDF) are available, as are the meetings for MTEA (YouTube) and PAMPS (YouTube).  

“As we build our next budget, we remain focused on protecting classrooms, maintaining safe learning environments, supporting student achievement, and strengthening our financial stability,” Dr. Cassellius said. “These proposals reflect our commitment to responsible fiscal stewardship while continuing to invest in our people and our students.”  

The district is currently addressing a $46 million structural deficit between revenues and expenses. While referendum funding has helped stabilize the budget in recent years, that funding will not increase moving forward, and state aid has not kept pace with rising costs. District leaders emphasized that the proposals announced Thursday are opening positions, and MPS looks forward to continued good-faith discussions with its union partners.  

Separately, the MPS Board of School Directors will consider several policy and budget matters through its regular governance process. These include potentially capping class sizes to better support students, decisions related to the salary schedule and advancement structure, and ongoing staffing adjustments based on enrollment trends. The district plans to reduce Central Services staffing and redeploy resources to schools.   

No final decisions have been made on these matters.  

MPS will hold a series of upcoming community budget hearings for the MPS community to share thoughts on budget planning. More information can be found at the budget page on the District site.