ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ann Arbor Public Schools hosted a virtual meeting to discuss the $25 million in budget cuts it must make to meet fund requirements set by the state.
Teachers, students, and parents listened as administrators explained the shortfall on Monday, April 15. According to interim superintendent Jazz Parks, the district’s former superintendent made the board aware of the problem earlier in the 2023-2024 school year.
The district’s fund balance was 4% at the time. The state requires the fund balance to be 5% or more. Ann Arbor Public Schools set their fund balance standard at 6%.
“When they passed the budget for this year, they were hopeful they could do a realignment and bring the budget up to 6%, that did not happen,” said current board president, Torchio Feaster.
To address the shortfall, the district is cutting administrative staffing positions and making other reductions at the central office.
They’ve also put a hiring freeze in place and are renegotiating contracts with vendors. Parks said they are also considering whether any vacant properties across the district could be sold.
A third-party firm is investigating the matter and working to determine what went wrong. Parks says that once they learn more, they will decide whether to take the next steps to hold someone accountable.