The Grand Rapids school district is dealing with at least $1.2 million dollars in budget cuts. The board approved the next year’s budget earlier this month. And it’s going to mean cuts to staff.

Staff are speaking out about this. WDIO stopped by on workshop day on Monday, to the Robert J. Elkington Middle School.

It means bigger class sizes and fewer options for students. Teachers told us they have less time to do more work, essentially.

Allison Friesen, a special education teacher, said, “We are shouldering the burden of the financial costs.”

Her co-worker, Aaron Riehle, a language arts and science teacher, added, “It’s really hard on our mental health. I’ve been teaching 10 years and this is my 5th year of budget cuts.”

Both are parents as well, and are worried about class sizes for their incoming kindergartners.

Students also feel the weight of the changes. Katie Chung, a junior, said, ‘We are in tune with what’s happening with the staff.”

She added that she remembers when one of her favorite teacher was let go, her freshman year. “It was definitely scary to know that someone who values you as a person, is just gone.”

Administration knows this situation is terrible, but Superintendent Matt Grose said their hands are tied. “We can’t raise revenue like cities and counties by raising the levy. We tried the referendum in the fall, which failed.”

He said something needs to change at the state and federal level, in terms of funding.

Carol Copp, president of Local 1314 and an English teacher, agrees. “Outstate Minnesota is underfunded compared to the metro. And that’s not fair. Grand Rapids kids should get just as much funding as Anoka/Hennepin kids.”

There is a meeting at 6pm tonight that educators are going to. Students will also be attending.