Department of Public Instruction

Mayor Not Interested in MPS Takeover

Johnson says no to city takeover, adds that all Milwaukee schools should be focused on better outcomes.

Rep. Myers Responds to Recent Events Involving Milwaukee Public Schools

Statement from Mayor Cavalier Johnson On Milwaukee Public Schools Board Action

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Resigns After Closed-Session Meeting

School district is in jeopardy of losing millions in state and federal dollars.

The Fall of a School Superintendent

The inside story: Why MPS superintendent Keith Posley could be fired.

MPS Board Calls For Investigation, Delays Budget Vote

The school district has been under scrutiny for lack of financial reporting.

Milwaukee Board of School Directors Statement on DPI Reporting

MPS Works with DPI to Complete Required Reporting

State Could Withhold Milwaukee Public Schools Funding Over Reporting Failures

Department of Public Instruction threatens to withhold payments unless corrective action is taken

Child Care Providers Renew Call for State Funding

Programs struggling to survive. Evers supports more funding, GOP legislators don't.

The Ups and Downs of Milwaukee’s School Enrollment

Regular school enrollment barely changed, charter schools down, statistics vary between MPS and DPI.

Legislators Agree on Opioid Plan, Still Withhold PFAS, Hospital Funds

Standoff between Republicans on Joint Finance Committee and Gov. Evers continues.

State-sanctioned inequity

DPI Disagrees With Legislature Over Literacy Program Implementation

Law was signed last July, but parties at odds on implementation.

Seclusion and Restraint Incidents Down Slightly at Schools in 2022-23

But still affects thousands of students in Wisconsin; nearly 80% of them are disabled.

Republican Legislature Sues Evers Over Reading Bill Veto

Republicans say partial veto to literacy program is unconstitutional

Why Can’t MPS Improve Student Reading Scores?

Failure to use phonics and poorly trained teachers may help explain this.

Office of School Safety Provides Behavioral and Threat Assessment Management Training Ahead of 25th Anniversary of Columbine Shooting

DPI Report Shows Educator Workforce Crisis in Wisconsin

Teacher retention a huge problem; compensation has decreased 20% since 2010.

School Districts Take Stock of Referendum Results

Across state, 56 of 93 of April ballot requests for more money passed.

Evers Aggressively Uses Veto Pen on Republican Bills

Governor blocks proposals related to wolves, income tax cuts and school licensing.

Gov. Evers Signs Legislation to Support Holocaust Education, Expand Emergency Detention and Urgent Crisis Care Facilities Statewide

Gov. Evers Vetoes Republican Bill to Allow Individuals with No Qualifications or Experience to Become School District Administrators

GOP-backed bill would have allowed unlicensed individuals with no background check to interact directly with kids at school

Wisconsin Is First State Approved For New Summer Youth Aid Program

Federal program aims to feed childen when schools are closed.

Gov. Evers Announces Wisconsin is the First State to Receive Federal Approval to Help Feed Kids and Families During Summer Months

USDA approves Wisconsin plan to provide summer food benefits for kids and families

Gov. Evers Take Actions on 44 Bills

Seclusion and Restraint of Kids in Wisconsin Schools

Nearly 13,000 incidents reported in 2021-22. ‘Districts should not torture children.’

Gov. Evers, PSC Announce Over 410,000 Homes and Businesses to See New or Improved High-Speed Internet Due to Evers Administration Efforts Since 2019

Evers Administration announces latest grant awards from the Capital Projects Fund Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program

Gov. Evers Takes Action on Three Bills

How Big a Change Is New UW-Madison Admission Policy?

Students consider new rule that top 5% of state's high school grads guaranteed admission.

Bill That Would Hold Students Back For Truancy Passes First Major Hurdle

Assembly passes bill that would make frequently absent students repeat their current grade, sends it to Senate.

Legislature Approves Reduction in Educator Licensing Requirements

Republican backers say their aim is easing a workforce shortage

Department of Public Instruction Asks Lawmakers To Approve New Reading Curriculum

Proposal overrides the Literacy Council, which DPI says failed to meet deadlines.

Democrats Were For Uncoupling Voucher Funding, Why The Change?

School choice groups asks why Dems ran away from proposal to separate funding from property taxes.

Trans Youth Feel Less Safe Than LGBTQ+ Counterparts At School

Report find more inclusive curricula, protective policies needed.

Assembly Committee Votes To Overhaul Voucher School Funding

Governor Evers has already signaled his opposition.

Should Child Care Providers Teach 4-Year-Old Kindergarten?

Republicans, child care providers support bill pushing this. DPI opposes it.

Open Enrollment Begins For Public, Voucher Schools

With surge in taxpayer funding, voucher school program expected to grow.

Bill Holds Back Students Who Miss More Than 30 Days of School

Policy from Speaker Vos's Task Force on Truancy would affect public and private schools.

Baldwin Helps Deliver Nearly $1.5 Million to Connect Wisconsin Students with Good-Paying Jobs

Office of School Safety to Provide Eleven Regional Behavioral and Threat Assessment Management Trainings Around Wisconsin

Press Release: Gov. Evers Delivers 2024 State of the State Address

Gov. Evers Declares 2024 the Year of the Worker

Governor’s declaration builds on administration’s work to bolster state’s workforce in high-demand, high-need industries

Civics Education Bill Focuses on Patriotism

DPI opposes bill and its costs, says it's already working on civics education.

Apprenticeship Bill Targets Teacher Shortage

Students would attend college two years, then teach for two more before graduation.

2023 Roundup: Gov. Evers Highlights 2023 Accomplishments

Three-Agency Collaboration Supports Higher Employment Rates for Individuals with Disabilities

Competitive Integrated Employment Yielding Improved Employment Outcomes

UW Regents Backtrack, Take Republican DEI Deal

Regents vote to accept limits to DEI programs in return for pay raises for 34,000 employees and new engineering building.

Wisconsin Paraprofessionals Would Get Lifetime Teaching Licenses Under Republican Proposal

Bill aims to shrink teacher shortage, but would eliminate many requirements like four-year degrees.

Former Employees of Voucher School Discuss Safety Issues, ‘Third Friday’ Push

HOPE Christian School comes under scrutiny following gym injury.

Marquette University education professor confirmed to Wisconsin’s Professional Standards Council for Teachers

Nearly 1,000 MPS Students Haven’t Attended A Single Day of School This Year

District Attorney's office doesn't have capacity to prosecute all the truancy cases.

Public School Libraries Will See Record Support From State Fund

Common School Fund from sale of public lands up by 25%, hitting record high.

83% Of Public Schools in State Met Expectations on Tests

State report card also shows 80% of private choice schools met expectations.

GOP, RNC Leader Questioned Over No-Bid Contracts From Milwaukee Public Schools

Gerard Randall’s nonprofit received nearly $1.3 million from the district over the past decade. Leaders say he listed them as board officers without their knowledge.

The National Threat Assessment Center and Office of School Safety Present Targeted Violence Prevention Training for Kenosha, Wis. Community

November 1, 2023

Gov. Evers Announces Appointments to Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence

30 task force members, national AI experts set to convene at public task force meeting Oct. 30 in Madison

UW-Madison Programs Aims To Create Pipeline of Milwaukee Teachers

Program would educate 36 special education teachers for MPS across three years.

Gov. Evers Announces State Building Commission Approves Approximately $388.7 Million in Projects Across Wisconsin

MPS Growing International Baccalaureate Program

Earning college credits before graduation at 11 school sites with 15 total IB programs.

Attorney General Josh Kaul Warns of Current Online Dangers and Highlights Online Safety Tools During Keep Your Kids Safe Online Month

October 20, 2023

School Districts Learn How Much State Funding They’ll Get

Allocations for this school year released; MPS gets increase of $53.8 million.

Minocqua Brewery Super PAC Sues to End Voucher Schools

Suit charges they violate state Constitution and are destroying public education.

State Test Scores Up But Still Below Pre-Pandemic Level

Only about 40% proficient with big gap between Black and white students.

State’s Public Schools Have Lost 32,000 Students Since 2019

Key reasons: Lower birth rates and children moving to private and home schools.

Proposal Would Eliminate License Requirement for School Superintendents

Proposal aimed at reducing turnover. DPI in opposition.

State Superintendent, GOP Legislators Duel Over Education

Underly defends DEI, public schools; Republicans push culture war, school choice.

Attorney General Kaul Recognizes #SeeSayDay, Highlights Recent Speak Up, Speak Out Success Story

September 25, 2023

Wisconsin Schools Not Spending Pandemic Aid On Air Quality Improvements

Wisconsin school districts received more than $1.5 billion in federal funds.

The Truth About School Choice

A response from School Choice Wisconsin to earlier op-ed about effectiveness of choice schools.

Conservative Groups Oppose Including Voucher Schools In Transparency Dashboard

Bipartisan panel backs financial transparency dashboard, but School Choice WI and WILL object.

Company Moving HQ To Milwaukee

Mayville Engineering is biggest metal fabricating company in U.S. Plus: Bay View school completes addition and our weekly recap.

Christian School Removed From Choice Program

Holy Redeemer Christian Academy barred from receiving voucher payments by state.

Augustine Prep Opens $49 Million Elementary School

New building allows for major growth. And an even bigger project is planned.

Ramirez Has Big Plans For Cardinal Stritch Campus

$24 million investment will help create northside Augustine Prep, making a mega-school.

Report Finds High Teacher Turnover in State

Problem biggest for MPS and other districts and schools teaching vulnerable populations.

New Program Aimed At Expanding Pool of Special Education Teachers

Federal grant will cover Wisconsin program designed at reducing high turnover,

WEC Voter Education Project Wins National Award

Inside St. Augustine’s Huge Expansion

K4-12 private choice school adding new $49 million school building.

State Outdoes Nation Attracting College Students to Teaching

But Wisconsin still faces K-12 teacher shortage, teacher retention problem.

Bipartisan Legislation Would Prevent Strip Searches In Wisconsin Schools

Proposal is response to Oconto County incident where 6 girls were forced to strip down to underwear.

Gov. Evers Signs Bill Aimed at Improving Literacy Outcomes for Kids Statewide

Governor approves compensation plan bills to help bolster state workforce

Federal Aid Hasn’t Closed Pandemic-Induced Learning Gap

Wisconsin is on track to spend its $2.4 billion in aid by 2024 deadline.

State’s Schools Had Nearly 7,000 Instances of Student Physical Restraint

DPI data from 2021-22 shows 76% of students restrained have a disability.

Evers, Vos Argue Over Amended State Budget

Evers reshaped budget with 51 partial vetoes, trades words with Republicans.

Evers’ Veto Pen Gives School Districts 400 Years of Funding

Trimming budget bill text to let school districts collect an added $325 per student annually.

State Budget Gives No Funding Increase to 40% of School Districts

Total funding up 3% but Madison got a decrease and Racine got 22% increase.

‘They Die So Quickly’ From Fentanyl

50 times more potent than heroin, causing more than 1,000 overdose deaths per year in Wisconsin.

MPS Seeks To Revise School Calendar

Seeking earlier start to 2024-25 school year for elementary students, creating a uniform calendar for system.

The Winners In Shared Revenue, K-12 Funding Deal

Everyone could claim victory. But who won -- and lost -- the most?

Even After Change, DPI Opposes Reading Bill

Issue centers on proposal to hold third graders back.

Meet Up And Eat Up, Milwaukee! Summer Meals Program Provides Three Daily Meals to Kids, Teens and Families

Kickoff event highlighted Summer Meals, educational and recreational programs at 140+ sites throughout Milwaukee County

Bill Includes Largest Expansion Ever of Private School Choice

A hike of 13% for K-8 voucher schools and 33% for high schools, union official says.

Republicans Have $50 Milllion, Science-Based Plan To Revamp How Children Learn To Read

DPI Superintendent says bill is "non-starter" as it includes 3rd grade retention requirement.

Remote Work Proves Durable in Wisconsin

400,000 in state, or 15% of workforce, now work remotely.

In Transfers, Public Schools Often Deny Students With Disabilities

Charter and choice "cherry picking" is well known. But public schools also involved through open enrollment.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies Common at State’s Voucher Schools

Some taxpayer-supported private schools expel students for being gay or transgender.

Survey of Wisconsin High Schoolers Finds Increase In Depression, Screen Time

50% report having anxiety, 33% depression. Recreational use of digital devices growing.

College Completion Program Showing Impressive Results

All-In Milwaukee focused on students from lower-income families.

State’s Students Missed Nearly a Month of School Last Year

Chronic absenteeism climbing since start of pandemic, particular high at MPS.