Michigan's School Aid Fund's main points of revenue being sales and income tax has caused huge issues in the flow of Kalamazoo's budget due to the coronavirus pandemic - forcing the school board to try and make up for lost revenue. These cuts include ending the Middle School Alternative Learning Program which is a "program that provides students the pro-social skills needed to improve their behavior by focusing on literacy, choice theory, resilience, and positive behavior support. Students will also gain enhanced self-esteem and academic performance".

The budget cuts also call for terminating 5 positions at both major high schools in the district, Loy Norrix and Kalamazoo Central saving $1,060,000.

+ A 1.33% salary reduction for staff making greater than $11/hour - proposed to save another 1.35 million.

+ Cutting the Lift Up Through Literacy program which is an after-school program that offers literacy activities for students and families. President Patti Sholler-Barber disapproves and sees the importance of this program.

The kicker is, all while they're seemingly struggling to find money to fill this budget gap with a $7m total - KDPS is receiving new stations, a new radio system, and Nazareth shooting ranges and CLASSROOMS for training under the Capital Improvements Program, totaling $8,350,000.

Public hearing for these proposed budget cuts will be held on Thursday, June 25 with the board at 6:45 with public comments welcome. The proposed cuts will be voted on by the board in their meeting later that evening.

The people of Kalamazoo say no to these budget cuts! We are a community that values education.