Milwaukee Public Schools- Failing Under Mayor Tom Barrett:
A 2010 Study Put Milwaukee Public Schools Near The Bottom Of The Achievement Ladder. 88 Percent Of Students Tested In 4th, 8th Grade Scored At A Level Below Proficient. (Erin Richards, “New reading results put MPS near bottom among urban districts,” Journal Sentinel, 5/20/10; (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
Experts Called Out Milwaukee Public Schools For Its Lack of A Plan, Consistent With Mayor Tom Barrett’s Lack Of Leadership In Milwaukee. India McCanse, executive director of Literacy Services of Wisconsin, said the reading study results call into question the rigor of the curriculum and instruction in MPS. Superintendent William Andrekopoulos echoed those concerns in an interview.
- Dave Gordon, superintendent of schools in Sacramento County, Calif., and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, said it appeared Milwaukee’s lack of achievement mostly stemmed from its lack of urgency for a consistent and coherent plan for reading. (Erin Richards, “New reading results put MPS near bottom among urban districts,” Journal Sentinel, 5/20/10)
Milwaukee Public Schools Under Mayor Tom Barrett Were Among The Worst Surveyed By The National Report Card In Mathematics, Science And Reading. Of the 21 urban districts surveyed, MPS was near the bottom in every subject surveyed and below the nation average, the state of Wisconsin and even other large cities in 4th and 8th Grade as part of the National Report Card. (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Science Assessment, 2011 Math and Reading Assessment, http://nces.ed.gov, accessed 4/4/12)
Milwaukee Ranked 42nd In The Nation For The 50 Largest Districts. The graduation rate in 2010 was 62.8 percent and the statewide average is 87 percent. (EPE Research Center, 2011, accessed 4/6/12; Erin Richards, “State, MPS post improved high school graduation rates,” Journal Sentinel, 5/17/12)
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett Talks About A Skills Gap, Under His Leadership Only 33 Percent Of 10th Graders Are Proficient In Math And Science. The statewide average for is approximately 72%. (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
- Less Than Half Of 10th Graders In Milwaukee Public Schools Are Proficient In Reading. The statewide average in 78 percent. (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
Under Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Public School Dropouts Make Up 32 Percent Of The Total Dropouts In The State. The 2114 dropouts make up over 32 percent of the 6434 dropouts in the state. (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
- NOTE: Milwaukee Public Schools Made Up Just 9 Percent Of Student Enrollment In 2011-12. (DPI, 2011-12 Public School Enrollment Data, accessed 4/19/12)
- The Truancy Rate In Milwaukee Public Schools Is 45.8 Percent. (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
Milwaukee Public Schools Have Over Twice As Many Weapon And Drug Related Incidents Resulting In Suspension and Expulsion. MPS makes up 19.6 percent of all incidents, nearly 14 incidents per 1,000 students. (DPI, WINSS, 2009-10 Data, accessed 4/4/12)
