GBAPS Faces Budget Deficit If Madison Has No Budget By July

GREEN BAY, WI- (WGBW) – If Wisconsin legislators and Governor Tony Evers do not pass a new biennial budget by July 1st, Green Bay Area Public Schools (GBAPS) will see a $10 million to $12 million shortfall for the 2025/26 school year. 

Declining enrollment, increased student needs, and state funding that has not kept up with inflation are factors in the district’s budget status.

“We are not the only district in the state of Wisconsin, 420 of us, that are facing a deficit. And many of them are depending on referendum to be able to keep their doors open,” said GBAPS Superintendent Vicki Bayer. “We truly are doing the best we can. Our goal is when we are reducing our budget to have the least amount of negative impact on our children. At some point, the state of Wisconsin has to realize we can’t keep cutting without hurting our children. Now that’s out of my hands. That’s Madison.” 

In recent years, the GBAPS District has closed six elementary schools and has cut its workforce by 10 percent, primarily due to attrition. Additionally to reduce costs it eliminated early release days and cancelled some vendor contracts. 

District leadership recommends the following actions if the current deficit holds:

• Freezing base-wage negotiations for a year or until a state budget it passed.
• Freezing Wage increases for employees that reach certain seniority milestones
• Closing the GBAPS virtual school
• Freeze ride stipends for students
• Have employees pay short-term disability insurance

School Board members expressed mixed levels of concern. Some saying the legislature will come through with funding; others are preparing for a worst-case scenario.