@the74.bsky.social with a great, thought-provoking piece about the failures of local school boards, and how they echo broader challenges to (small-d) democratic governance. Its an issue here in MKE, but also across the country - & one we must reckon with.

www.the74million.org/article/how-...

A key problem: lowered state expectations+ a sliding scale weighting of Achievement (proficiency) & growth, hard-wired into state law, means that low-poverty schools see 9x the benefit from the changes than high-poverty ones.

We shouldn't expect less from our kids because of their families' income.

Here's City Forward Collective's take on the real issues with WI's school funding approach, including the antiquated special education model - and why the Special Needs Scholarship Program is the wrong target in this fight.

www.jsonline.com/story/opinio...

We at City Forward Collective have joined advocates in calling out the low special education funding levels for public schools, district &charter. That truth stands on its own, without needing to demagogue private schools that are doing the right thing.

mkeedunews.substack.com/p/cfc-policy...

Great read - so much also translates into Dems’ refusal to embrace education abundance. @WisDems, esp legislators, are repeating this boasting about policy failures with attacks on high-quality school choices.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/o...

There's some places where I'd probably differ, but these portions of the piece in particular really strike me as points where one could find broad agreement across partisan lines, and starting points for more productive conversations.

From our family to yours - Happy Holidays!

Meanwhile, the nearly half of MKE students who choose to attend non-MPS operated schools are facing a return to unfair, unequal, and unsustainable per-pupil funding gaps.
This year, funding gaps will cost MKE students and schools more than $180M.

Find CFC's full analysis at https://bit.ly/3Bkt7Ke

@cfc_mke, we believe in the boundless brilliance & limitless potential of every MKE child. Its why we continue to advocate for a return to @GovEvers high standards to prepare students for thriving lives and productive careers, and for more honest, accurate Report Cards.
https://buff.ly/4gjsejG

Districtwide, just 22% of MPS students met @wisconsindpi's new, lowered expectations in ELA. In Math, just 17% met the lowered bar. MPS HS students are averaging a 14 on ACT English , and 15 in math.

Yet, @MilwaukeeMPS' district report card rating is 3-stars, "Meets Expectations"!

Since 2020, @MilwaukeeMPS has gone from 50 to 78 schools - more than half of the district's total - earning 1 and 2 star ratings. And this is true even after @drjillunderly and @wisconsindpi lowered expectations for student proficiency & adjusted Achievement scores to try and hide the impacts.

This month's @MilwaukeeMPS committee meeting presentation is yet another example of the issues with @WisconsinDPI's School & District Report Cards, and why MKE students, families, and stakeholders need honesty, transparency, and accountability.

3) Unfair & Unequal Funding Remains A Threat
Despite significant progress in the last state budget, tens of thousands of MKE students still receive millions less in funding because of the school they choose to attend. As state officials work on the next budget, more action is necessary.

2) Similar Students & Shared Challenges
Citywide, enrollment declines continue, and across most demographics MKE's schools continue to converge. Even for special education, we're seeing larger numbers in both public charter and private schools (though data challenges make it hard to compare)

Our 3 key findings:
1) Lowered Standards Can't Hide MKE's Persistent Academic Crisis

This year, we have more students in our city's lowest-rated schools, and an alarming 74 schools with fewer than 20 students meetings expectations - even after DPI lowered the bar.