The Portland teacher’s union is asking voters to reject the district’s proposed budget over its retention of high-ranking administrators and elimination of school positions.

The Portland Education Association contends the $179 million budget is too top heavy, saying it has “misplaced priorities” that’ll will render students as losers.

The union says six essential student-facing support positions are being cut, while half a dozen top management positions are being protected.

The school positions bein eliminated include five Special Education ed tech positions and one English for Speakers of Other Languages ed tech position. According to the teacher’s union, the six high ranking positions being retained are the Superintendent, Superintendent of Primary, Superintendent of Secondary, Superintendent of Family Engagement, Chief of Operations and Chief of Schools and Academics.

The Portland City Council unanimously approved the school district budget last week, which will now go before city voters in about two weeks, June 9.

The school budget requires a roughly 5.7% increase in the school portion of the property tax rate in Portland.

The recommendation to vote no on the budget comes from the Portland Education Association’s executive board.

Voters in South Portland will also vote on a school budget on June. The South Portland process has had well documented difficulties, including the closure of an elementary school, the elimination of 80 jobs and a recall filed against the school board chair and vice chair.

Rising health care costs and falling enrollment have been cited as school budget difficulties across Maine this year.

Voters in Lewiston and Turner have rejected their school budgets in recent weeks.