City of Milwaukee Health Department and MPS Provide Updates on Lead Safety Efforts

Milwaukee, WI – The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) continue to take critical steps to assess and address lead hazards in school buildings. As part of these efforts, MHD and MPS are providing updates on recent lead screening clinic results, school inspections, and ongoing remediation efforts.

Lead Screening Clinic Results

On Saturday, March 15, MHD, MPS, Children’s Wisconsin, and Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers held a free lead screening clinic at Bradley Tech High School. A total of 249 children were screened for lead exposure.

To protect the privacy of children screened, specific data on cases below certain thresholds cannot be disclosed. However, MHD can confirm that:

• A very small number of children tested above the CDC’s reference value of 3.5 µg/dL, and some of them do not attend MPS schools.
• These cases were low enough that they did not require nursing case management from MHD.
• 91% of children screened were from the originally targeted schools (Golda Meir Lower Campus, Kagel, Maryland Avenue Montessori, Trowbridge, Starms Early Childhood Center, Fernwood, and LaFollette).
• 94% of children screened attend MPS schools.

Families who were unable to attend the screening clinic are encouraged to take advantage of additional free pop-up clinics in the coming weeks. A full list of upcoming screening opportunities is available at www.milwaukee.gov/MPS-Lead and mpsmke.com/mpsleadreport.

School Clearances & Inspection Plans
MHD is pleased to announce that Golda Meir Lower Campus and Maryland Avenue Montessori have both passed final clearance checks following thorough testing this week. Lead dust levels at these schools meet established safety standards, and no further remediation is required at this time. To ensure continued safety, MPS will maintain enhanced cleaning protocols in these buildings.

Additionally, MHD and MPS are developing a rolling inspection schedule to assess schools across the district systematically. More details on this effort will be shared as planning progresses.

School Closures & Next Steps
The following schools remain temporarily closed while MPS continues remediation efforts:

• Starms Early Childhood Center
• Fernwood Montessori
• LaFollette School

MHD will conduct additional clearance checks at these schools, and updates will be provided to families as soon as reopening timelines are determined.

Commitment to Safe Remediation Practices
MPS has stated to MHD that remediation and subsequent cleaning efforts are not taking place while students and staff are present. This practice ensures that lead dust exposure risks are minimized.

Ongoing Commitment to Safety
MHD and MPS remain fully committed to transparency, public health, and the safety of all students and staff. Regular updates will continue to be shared as this work moves forward.

For more information, visit www.milwaukee.gov/MPS-Lead or mpsmke.com/mpsleadreport.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.