(Madison)…“There is a sense of urgency in Southeast Wisconsin about the viability of Milwaukee Public School system,” said Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) after the Milwaukee Public School Board voted to consider dissolving MPS. “The Board’s lack of confidence in the future of MPS is the latest in a long line of red flags about whether MPS is financially and academically sustainable in its current configuration.
“I will be introducing legislation in January to dissolve MPS into eight smaller, independent school districts focused on educating students to become key contributors to our region upon graduation.
“As I explained in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel yesterday (MJS: Another View – October 5, 2008), the problems with MPS are well-documented. A graduation rate under 50 percent, rampant truancy, violence in the schools, and a lack of academic success are the main symptoms of the disease. Breaking the school system into eight districts with independent, local school boards and superintendents will create the accountability necessary to achieve success.
“Every taxpayer in Wisconsin has a stake in the success of the Milwaukee Public School system. As more and more state money from outside Milwaukee pours into the system with diminishing returns, the time has come for a return to fundamentals.
“We cannot afford another generation of failure and, more importantly, the children of Milwaukee cannot wait any longer for an educational system that prepares them for success.”
