Stillwater Public Schools making a $5.5M budget cut for upcoming school year

STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — In the November board meeting for Stillwater Public Schools, leaders said the district needed to make budget cuts for the 2025-2026 academic school year.

Dr. Janet Vinson is the acting Superintendent for Stillwater Public Schools. She said, "There's no way we can continue down this path, we'll run out of money, period."

Dr. Vinson also said, "We're 10 million higher than we should be in overall staffing, yet we're only proposing a 5.5. To me that says that we're trying to preserve as much support to our students as possible, which is our top priority."

The $5.5M cut includes taking funding from student support services, instructional support services and guidance counselors.

Kristy Newby, the district's Chief Financial Officer was there to provide specific percentages for the cuts.

"16% reduction in administrative cuts, 12% reduction in guidance and counselor services, 31% reduction in instructional support costs, student support services, that is where sped is, 29% cut there," said Newby.

Two mothers of Stillwater Public School students both had concerns about the financial decision.

One parent said, "I was alarmed to see the huge budget cuts in instructional support and student support services."

The other parent said, "I'm here today to speak against the proposed budget cuts for instructional support and student support services for the upcoming school year."

Newby said it was not just the schoolboard weighing in on the decision.

"We had intense collaboration from different leaders with directors with principles and dove-tailed all of them in together," said Newby.

However, parents asked the board to reconsider the cuts, saying they have a severe impact on student performance.

"Our special education students need those supports to be successful and they deserve the chance to be successful," said one parent.

The $5.5M budget cut was approved by the schoolboard for the upcoming school year.