In a recent Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) finance committee meeting, Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan’s proposal to grant four administrators $200,000 salaries sparked intense backlash from the community. 

The proposal, which included significant raises for Chief of Staff Paulette Chambers, Interim Chief School Administration Officer Michael Harris, Chief Human Resources Officer Adria Maddaleni, and Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Mims-Howell, was revealed despite a backdrop of budget cuts and teacher layoffs.

Community members expressed their outrage, questioning the rationale behind such high salary increases while the district was simultaneously cutting 149 teaching positions. “MPS cannot continue to give administrators big raises while at the same time laying off teachers,” said Beverly Hamilton-Williams, a concerned local, according to WISN12.

The controversy was compounded by recent issues in the district’s financial management, which led to a loss of $81 million in state aid due to reporting errors. MPS board director Henry Leonard, who voiced strong opposition, noted that the proposed raises were incongruent with the district’s financial struggles. “You have to really, like read the room,” Leonard said.

As a result of the outcry, the proposed $200,000 salaries were removed from the agenda. Instead, the administrators will receive $193,692 each, a 5.6 percent increase from the previous year but still higher than the salaries of top state officials, including the governor. Leonard emphasized that improving district performance should take precedence over substantial pay raises.

Despite efforts to seek clarification from Superintendent Galvan, the district has yet to provide a detailed explanation. MPS communications staff indicated that the salary adjustments were withdrawn “after further consideration of the district’s current finances.”