July 1, 2026 5:30p
(WGTD)---Kenosha Unified administration has taken to heart suggestions for town hall-styled meetings and an organizational review in a bid to offer greater transparency and build public trust.
At a meeting later this month, the school board is expected to discuss recommendations on how to structure potential community meetings. Also, the administration is expected to present options and cost estimates on hiring a firm to undertake a study on staffing levels.
Calls for both came during a school board meeting last week in which some speakers said it was premature for the school board to ask voters in a November referendum for permission to exceed state-mandated levy limits. The district is facing shortfalls of millions of dollars over the next couple of years.
The board eventually voted to delay consideration of a referendum until spring.
Board president Carl Bryan was among those board members who supported a delay. "We have a lot of ground work to cover when it comes to talking to folks out in the community, getting their feedback, getting in their good graces, building that trust and rapport in the community," he said.
Board member Robin Cullen had mixed feelings about spending money to hire an outside firm to conduct an organizational study, citing a concern over the cost. On the other hand, an internal review, she said, might not be as well received as an independent study. "I worry about the trust from the community," she said.
In an email to WGTD, Bryan said the administration is looking at what other districts have done in similar situations.
Another wild card in the budget debate is whether the next legislature--to be formed following the November elections--may be more charitable to public school districts, thereby easing budget crunches.
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