(Fox 11 Online)
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Oshkosh Area School District released its revised budget reduction recommendations for the 2026-2027 school year.
The updated plan, which will be presented to the Board of Education for public discussion on Wednesday, Jan. 14, reflects a collaborative effort to address the District’s financial challenges while responding to priorities identified by the school community.
“The feedback we received following our December proposal was invaluable,” said OASD Superintendent Dr. Bryan Davis. “Our community’s insights helped us refine our approach. This process has been a balance of maintaining high-quality student opportunities and ensuring the long-term financial stability of our schools.”
The budget reductions come as the district faces a $6 million annual budget deficit.
Key Revisions to the Plan:
- Secondary Staffing and Scheduling: The District is no longer recommending that elective teachers shift to teaching 6 of 7 periods. Instead, the revised recommendation will result in the district being more consistent with secondary classroom staffing ratios of 27:1 (formula-based staffing). This may result in increased class sizes (while complying with district policy (5113) and comparable to other districts) or the decision not to run a specific course if enrollment is too low to support a full-time equivalent (FTE) position. If a course cannot run, the District will seek to offer it the following year or provide alternatives, such as taking the course at the other high school or through eAcademy.
- Oshkosh West Mental Strength: Revised recommendation is to remove the proposal to eliminate the Mental Strength Teacher position at Oshkosh West.
- Driver’s Education: Revised recommendation is to remove the proposal to eliminate this program and instead refer it to the Board’s Facility and Finance Committee to explore a cost-neutral financial model.
- Community Engagement and Equity: Revised recommendation is to restructure this role into a school-level Student and Family Engagement Coordinator focused on post-secondary planning; it will no longer be a Central Office Administrator position.
- Technology: Revised recommendation is to retain the Security and Communication Specialist position and instead eliminate the Director of Technology position.
- Peer Coaching: Revised recommendation is to reduce the program to 1.0 FTE, ensuring one full-time coach remains to support first-year teachers.
- Elementary Leadership: Revised recommendation is to eliminate one elementary principal position as part of the scheduled Shapiro and Roosevelt consolidation.
- Staff Market Adjustments: Following Board direction, the District has removed scheduled market adjustments for administrators, reducing the projected deficit from $6 million to $5.5 million.
The regularly scheduled Board Listening Session will precede the Jan. 14 meeting at 5 p.m.
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