Grosse Pointe Schools Propose Budget Cuts, Community Pushes Back

GROSSE POINTE, MI — More than 80 speakers pushed back Monday night against proposed budget cuts by Grosse Pointe Public Schools during a nine-hour board meeting.

The district is looking to cut between $3 million to $5 million from next year's $103 million school budget as it deals with a decade-long enrollment decline. In 2010, the district had 8,390 students, but that number fell to 6,475 students by 2022. The district has also rejected opening its schools up to non-district students as a way to boost enrollment.

District plans that called for eliminating teachers and other classroom programs drew the most pushback from the community.

"We should all be on the same side. You know what I don't hear? What is best for the students of this district when you sit up there and you talk about your budget cuts," one parent said during the roughly four hour public comment portion.

Board members did not vote on any proposal during the Monday night meeting that bleed over into the overnight hours, but a final decision will have to come before July 1, which is when the new fiscal year starts.

Board members, however, agreed to develop a work group to put together a compromise. While members agree cuts need to be made, they hope to keep them as far away from the classroom as possible.

A version of the budget will be made available by June 1. The board will then hold a public hearing about the proposed budget on June 12 before a formal vote during the June 20 meeting.