MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) continues to struggle with enrollment, funding and school underperformance, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
The report points out several factors that are working against MPS.
Deputy Research Director Sarah Shaw said one of the main issues is the youth population has declined in the city.
The report also stated there’s more competition between public, private and charter schools, which has caused the student population to decline by nearly 30,000 kids within the last 18 years.
Shaw said another problem is the number of students missing 18 days or more has skyrocketed.
“That feels like something that the city can really take on with coordinated efforts across all sectors between education and outside of education could really make a difference in helping get kids back to school because it’s a lot harder for us to make any improvements in the school building if students aren’t in there to actually benefit from them,” Shaw said.
Wisconsin Policy Forum also found there is a big gap in success between white and Black students, especially when it comes to elementary school reading.
According to researchers, that has only gotten worse since the pandemic.
MPS issued the followed the statement on the report on how the Wisconsin's voucher program has not helped improved performance outcomes:
“Wisconsin’s voucher school system was created with the promise that it would lift all students. This report makes clear it’s time to look at new policies that will provide the outcomes our students deserve. Milwaukee Public Schools provides education options for all students when other schools in the city do not. The Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report recognizes that supports for children with the highest needs, including special education students and English learners, is not sufficient, and falls almost entirely to the public school system.
"At the onset of the voucher school system, there was a clear concern that the program would not educate all students. This report reinforces that concern. As MPS continues to serve the most vulnerable students in Milwaukee, while also providing services to private schools, public school funding continues to erode.
"We look forward to the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s upcoming study to show what actually drives student performance, as we need educational policies that serve all children. It’s time to look outside the boundaries of the City of Milwaukee and to the state level to establish systems that will finally provide the support students need to thrive.”
The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association echoed these sentiments.
"The results are in, and it is now 100% clear that the voucher experiment has failed Milwaukee's children. It is time to relieve the people of Milwaukee of this scam that has ripped us off for a generation. When public schools that serve the students with the greatest needs receive starvation resources - this is legalized fraud perpetrated against Milwaukee's children. The Milwaukee community should not be forced to wait another day for their tax dollars to stop being stripped away from public schools and sent to private schools that do not serve all of our children and that have failed to help our children.
"This report shows that private voucher and private charter schools have done nothing to improve outcomes for the children of Milwaukee in 30 years. The failed voucher scam should be swiftly phased out so our community can have the benefit of a well-resourced public school system that provides equitable opportunities for all children," Ingrid Walker-Henry MTEA president said.
Shaw said the MPS referendum passed in 2024 will help with funding, but there are still concerns due to the number of schools and declining student population.
“We can and should be doing better for our kids," Shaw said. "I’ve been doing this work in some or fashion for the last 14 years and it’s been very discouraging how little has changed.”
Jill Underly, state superintendent, echoed the need to do better for Wisconsin kids in a statement, saying:
"We cannot accept the status quo, be satisfied or try to justify our state’s existing opportunity gaps. Every kid, no matter their background, deserves the absolute best from us. This troubling report makes it clear all publicly-funded school models in Milwaukee — traditional, private, and charter — need to improve to better serve the community. Kids in Milwaukee across all sectors have very real, distinct needs that are not being met, no matter the type of school.
"We must work together to find realistic, innovative solutions and ensure kids in Milwaukee and across our state — our future leaders — are set up for success. School governance models matter minimally: the support of parents, bolstering resources available to children such as mental healthcare and tutoring, great professionals within school walls, and true accountability for all schools, are together what make the difference for kids.
“We can and must invest in the future of our kids, create environments where they can thrive, provide robust support to our educators and schools, and make real progress in closing longstanding gaps. We can ensure every kid has the resources and opportunities necessary to succeed and create an educational system that not only meets but exceeds the needs of all Wisconsin kids.”
As for solutions, the Wisconsin Policy Forum will do another study to determine what can actually be done to improve student performance.
Read the full report, here.