Milwaukee Public Schools move some schools to early start calendar in 2017
Secondary, IB and year round schools move to August start date
MILWAUKEE (Dec. 22, 2016) – The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted unanimously to move all secondary schools, International Baccalaureate schools and year-round schools to an early start on August 14, 2017 at Thursday’s meeting.
The board also asked the administration to pursue further research on changing the K-8 elementary school calendar in the future. Traditional elementary schools will start on Sept. 5, 2017.
The early start calendar proposal is part of the district’s plan to improve outcomes for students. While MPS schools are showing signs of growth and have moved up a grade in the state report card, there is much work to do, particularly in high schools and middle schools:
- The four-year high school graduation rate in MPS is 58.2 percent, compared to 88.4 percent statewide
- Eighty-three of the district’s 158 schools remain on the state’s “Fails to Meet Expectations” or “Meets Few Expectations” list
- The average ACT composite score in MPS is 16.5, versus 20.1 statewide
“I want to thank the Board for standing up for our young people and supporting an opportunity for students to have this extra learning time,” said MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver.
The proposed change to the calendar allows for the addition of a “J-term”, a four-week optional credit recovery and enrichment program in June in between the end of the regular school year and traditional summer school in July. The additional learning time the J-term provides, along with the early start in mid-August, gives students more time to catch up, keep up and get ahead in school.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Milwaukee Public Schools
Families invited to MPS Community Showcase at Douglas School on April 24
Apr 10th, 2024 by Milwaukee Public SchoolsLearn About Schools in 53206 ZIP Code, Apply for Jobs, Enjoy Activities
Registration opens March 4 for MPS Summer Academy
Mar 1st, 2024 by Milwaukee Public SchoolsSummer Classes and Activities to Inspire Learning Take Place in June and July at Select Schools around Milwaukee
M-Cubed Announces Milwaukee Direct Admit Program to Increase College Access
Jan 25th, 2024 by Milwaukee Public SchoolsMPS students will be able to apply to both MATC and UWM through one online form at no cost