OMAHA, Neb. —

Amid a hiring surge to fill vacancies, Omaha Public Schools will consider raising property taxes.

According to the district's chief financial officer, Shane Rhian, OPS has hired 1,088 new staff members since August 2024. That includes teachers, paraeducators, special education positions, and transportation jobs.

On Monday, Rhian gave the annual budget presentation to the OPS Board of Education for the 2025-26 school year.

"These new staff members have filled critical roles that have been vacant — many for more than a year," Rhian told the OPS Board of Education.

In recent months, OPS has announced plans to pay teachers and paraeducators more money in order to fill vacancies. According to the budget presentation, about 75% of the proposed $850 million general fund budget

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