BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Public Schools' Board of Education unanimously passed a $1.4 billion budget for the 2027-28 school year, proposed by Superintendent Dr. Pascal Mugbenga. The budget includes $8 million set aside for special education and eliminates 51 full-time positions from the central office while closing two schools.
The unanimous vote did not come without reservations. Board members Talia Rodriguez, Lewis Hawkins, and Janita Everhart expressed concerns about the budget's elimination of the Native American Resource Program, known as NARP, and Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives, known as CLRI.
Everhart voted yes but shared her concerns before doing so.
"I am looking forward to a more open process next year, more transparent process and a process that actually, takes care of the culture and curates the culture of the schools," Everhart said.
Educators and parents echoed those concerns about the loss of NARP and CLRI during the public hearing portion of the meeting.
"Our students look forward to seeing us. They feel comfortable talking to us while learning important cultural teachings that might not be available to them anywhere else," Nicole Eaden-Sundown, a Native American Cultural Resource Specialist, said.
Dr. William O'Neil-White, a parent and Western New York educator, also spoke to the impact of CLRI.
"CLRI has been instrumental in delivering meaningful professional development, bringing award-winning authors and researchers. CLRI has provided opportunities for our students to travel the world, build literacy skills, and reduce suspensions. Why are we taking our foot off the gas?" O'Neil-White said.
The reduction of counselors, by approximately 6.5 positions, also drew concern. Speakers warned that increasing the student-to-counselor ratio at a time when counseling needs are growing creates a serious gap in student support.
"A half-time counselor serving hundreds of students is not a viable support model. When counselors are only available part-time, students lose access to the continuity of care that they need," school counselor Maureen McNamara-Uhteg said.
BPS parent Jessica Bauer Walker pointed to what she described as a disconnect between the district's stated values and its budget decisions.
"When we start out our board meeting with a land acknowledgment and we're cutting the Native American resource program, there's a disconnect there when we have a Code of Conduct that has restorative and trauma informed and culture responsive all over it and the students are talking about their lived reality and we have the data support to support it, that's a problem," Bauer Walker said.
Teacher Courtney Little raised concerns about the discontinuation of instructional programs.
"When instructional programs such as NEARPOD are discontinued, the labor is lost. Years of thoughtful planning, refinement, and collaboration are suddenly wasted, which shows that our work is disposable," Little said.
The board also agreed to designate May 14 as a Day of Remembrance within the district.
