MPS Issues Update on Lead Remediation Progress as New School Year Nears

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Brenda Cassellius today announced progress on the district’s plan to remediate lead hazards in dozens of the district’s older schools.

“All of our students, families and employees deserve a safe and healthy school environment,” said Dr. Cassellius. “Delivering on this promise is one of our most important responsibilities. Our staff and contractors continue to work multiple shifts every day to fix lead paint issues, and we are accelerating our efforts to maintain a key aim identified in our lead action plan. Our goal continues to be that — by the start of the school year — all schools built before 1950 that serve elementary children would be cleared by the Milwaukee Health Department.”

More than 150 painters are currently working at MPS sites. Specific items of progress and next steps include:

• Nine schools — including all schools that were temporarily relocated during the 2024-25 school year — have been officially cleared of lead hazards by the Milwaukee Health Department and are ready to welcome students, families and employees. These school communities have all been notified.
• Another 14 schools in the next phase of the district’s efforts are nearing completion of the stabilization process and will soon be ready to be cleared by the health department. MPS will let school communities know as soon as they are cleared.
• The next 18 schools are set to be stabilized in the coming days and weeks. The district is accelerating the work by focusing more on lead stabilization and related touch-up painting and reducing the amount of cosmetic painting work that could happen at a later time.
• The final 9 schools include some buildings with additions built after 1978 and others that have excess space with the ability to relocate classes internally. Lead stabilization work in these schools will focus on common areas and spaces important to daily instruction and operation.

For schools in each group, see below. MPS remains on track for its goal of clearing all buildings that were built prior to 1978, serving elementary students, by the end of this calendar year.

The first day of classes for the 2025-26 school year will be Tuesday, September 2.

SCHOOLS:

Nine (9) schools — including all schools that were temporarily relocated during the 2024-25 school year — have been officially cleared of lead hazards by the Milwaukee Health Department:

• Brown Street School
• Fernwood Montessori School
• Kagel School
• LaFollette School
• Maryland Avenue Montessori School
• Golda Meir School – Lower Campus
• Starms Early Childhood Center
• Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies
• Westside Academy

Another 14 schools in the next phase are nearing completion of the stabilization process:

• Academia de Lenguaje y Bellas Artes (ALBA)
• Auer Avenue School
• Forest Home Avenue School
• Hartford University School
• Hayes Bilingual School
• Humboldt Park School
• Longfellow School
• MacDowell Montessori School
• Milwaukee French Immersion School
• Mitchell Integrated Arts School
• Riley Dual Language Montessori School
• Siefert School
• Townsend Street School
• Escuela Vieau

The next 18 schools are set to be stabilized in the coming days and weeks:

• Barbee Montessori School
• Bay View Montessori School – Lower Campus
• Bay View Montessori School – Upper Campus
• Burbank School
• Burdick School
• Cass Street School
• Craig Montessori School
• Doerfler School
• Escuela Fratney
• Greenfield Bilingual School
• U.S. Grant School
• Hawley Environmental School
• Lincoln Avenue School
• Manitoba School
• Morgandale School
• Neeskara School
• Story School
• Zablocki School

Final 9 schools include some buildings with additions built after 1978 and others that have excess space with the ability to relocate classes internally:

• 81st Street School
• Clarke Street School
• Franklin School
• Hampton School
• Hi-Mount Community School
• Hopkins Lloyd Community School
• Keefe Avenue School
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School
• Sherman Multicultural Arts School

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.