St. Paul schools may cut staff midyear after enrollment drop

St. Paul schools may cut staff midyear after enrollment drop Ellen Galles KSTP St. Paul schools may cut staff midyear after enrollment drop St. Paul Public Schools could make midyear staffing cuts after lower-than-expected enrollment created a budget shortfall.The district sent families an email Monday afternoon saying it has “several hundred fewer students” than expected when it built this year’s budget. The email said cuts were not anticipated and could be decided by Oct. 20.The superintendent wrote, “Operation Metro Surge, changes in immigration, and fewer new families settling in our community are among the circumstances reflected in our enrollment. Many of the students no longer with us are English Language Learners.”The district did not say how many jobs could be cut or what positions it is considering. The superintendent said in the email that 80% of the budget is for personnel, so staffing will likely be part of the equation.The St. Paul Federation of Educators launched a petition over the weekend on social media asking St. Paul Public Schools families to sign. The petition protests the possible elimination of some of the district’s English learner educators during the school year.The petition says the elimination of those teachers will “victimize our most vulnerable students” and that many families are “still reeling from the trauma and disruption of Operation Metro Surge.”5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the St. Paul Federation of Educators for comment and did not hear back. The Board of Education will take up the budget shortfall at its Oct. 20 meeting and review possible cuts.Below is the full email statement sent to families:Dear Saint Paul Public Schools Community,I’m writing to share an important update about enrollment in Saint Paul Public Schools and what it means for our district. I want you to hear directly from me about where things are currently at, what we are doing in response, and our continued commitment to supporting our students, staff, and families.Each October 1st, SPPS compares the number of students attending our schools with the enrollment estimates used to develop our annual budget. This year, our preliminary enrollment count shows that we have several hundred fewer students than we anticipated and fewer students attending SPPS than last year.We know there are many factors affecting families and communities across Saint Paul right now. Operation Metro Surge, changes in immigration, and fewer new families settling in our community are among the circumstances reflected in our enrollment. Many of the students who are no longer enrolled with us are English language learners.Behind every enrollment number is a student, a family, a teacher and a school community. We deeply miss the students and families who are no longer in our classrooms. Their absence is felt in our schools and throughout our community.Enrollment also has a direct impact on our district budget because much of our funding is based on the number of students we serve. Having fewer students than planned for means SPPS will receive less funding than we anticipated when this year’s budget was developed.We need to address that difference responsibly while continuing to protect the learning experiences and services our students rely on. We are also committed to maintaining the financial reserves required by Board policy so our district remains prepared for unexpected needs and future uncertainty.At its October 20, 2026, meeting, the Board of Education will review the administration’s recommendations for balancing the FY27 budget. Because approximately 80% of our budget is devoted to personnel, the recommendations will need to consider staffing as well as other expenses, including positions directly affected by lower enrollment and currently unfilled non-school positions.We understand that changes involving staffing affect entire school communities—not only our employees, but also the students, families and colleagues who know and value them. We will approach these decisions thoughtfully, with our students at the center, and will keep families informed as recommendations are considered and decisions are made.I wish the circumstances were different, and that we were not in this situation that none of us asked to be in. I will continue to do all that I can to ensure that our students, staff and families have the support they need during these difficult times. Thank you for your continued partnership with Saint Paul Public Schools. In Partnership,Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent