Education

Part 1: Diploma Mills Prey on Milwaukee’s Adult Students
Part 1

Diploma Mills Prey on Milwaukee’s Adult Students

Online high schools promise GEDs, but deliver worthless sheets of paper. Part I of series.

Op Ed: Why Thornton Is Leaving MPS
Op Ed

Why Thornton Is Leaving MPS

It's all about moving back home, not about frustration with Milwaukee.

Common Core is Here to Stay

Common Core is Here to Stay

And the black helicopters are coming!

Murphy’s Law: The Media’s Declining Clout
Murphy’s Law

The Media’s Declining Clout

As newspaper readership declines, government officials increasingly ignore stories that once would have embarrassed them.

Education: Milwaukee Universities Cost More Than Harvard
Education

Milwaukee Universities Cost More Than Harvard

The data on the White House Score Card is eye-opening.

Education: Don’t Just Blame the Parents
Education

Don’t Just Blame the Parents

Schools can have an impact on a child’s success, no matter how low the student’s family income.

Education: The Long Road to Reform
Education

The Long Road to Reform

It took Boston at least a decade to improve its public schools. Is there a lesson for Milwaukee?

Education: The Impact of Charter Schools
Education

The Impact of Charter Schools

The promise -- and problems -- of America’s most popular alternative to public schools can be seen in Milwaukee.

Education: The Impact of Voucher Schools
Education

The Impact of Voucher Schools

How school choice has -- and hasn’t -- worked. Second in a series on education in Milwaukee.

Education: The Experimental City
Education

The Experimental City

Milwaukee may offer more school choices than any city in America. First of a series by a new columnist.

A Small MPS Reform Could Save Money, Add to the Tax Base, and Enhance Competition

A Small MPS Reform Could Save Money, Add to the Tax Base, and Enhance Competition

People have been looking for a magic bullet to fix Milwaukee's education system, and although what I proposed here isn't the broad sweeping change many are looking for, I do believe in making incremental changes, when possible, to improve individual processes.

Northeast Side Area Plan Held at Committee

Northeast Side Area Plan Held at Committee

The Northeast Side Area Plan which will lay out the vision and guidelines for development within this a large portion of the city was brought forward for approval.  ‘ Alderman Bob Bauman proposed two amendments both of which impacted the location of future University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee expansions.  One amendment would of made it part of the plan that the City of Milwaukee wouldn’t support construction of new UWM dormitories on the East Side with the possible exception of the former Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital site.  The other amendment would suggest that UWM build future dormitories in downtown Milwaukee.  Alderman Bauman added that “they should re-double their efforts to locate these dormitories in the central business district”.  Alderman Tony Zielinski felt the plan didn’t included enough of the proposed Milwaukee River Overlay District, saying that “I was hoping to see something more concrete”.  Further discussion explained that the plan included a high level summary of the overlay district and that the specifics are still being worked out between property owners and neighborhood residents.  This file was held to allow for more discussion regarding the possible amendments and to add additional content to the Bronzeville section of the plan. Also of note was Neighborhood House’s appeal of the Historic Preservation Commission’s denial of approval to demolish a pre-1850’s home in the Historic Concordia neighborhood.  Neighborhood House had purchased the house to add parking spots and build a bus turnaround.  Numerous community members spoke out in opposition to this proposal and the committee seem to recognize their concerns.  Alderman Wade stated that “I’m probably not looked at as a friend of the historic preservation folks, historically” but went on to explain that he was glad to be on their side on this issue in this case.  Other committee members indicated they were swayed by the citizen reaction and felt there were other options that could be explored to facilitate the bus.  This resolution was denied.