Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Public Schools' $252 referendum: What's the district's plan for that money?

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2024

Milwaukee Public Schools' 2 referendum: What's the district's plan for that money?

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — In less than six weeks, voters will decide whether Milwaukee Public Schools gets another $252 million through a property tax increase. In a one-on-one interview, CBS 58 asked MPS Superintendent Keith Posley how the district will use that money, and how those dollars will improve student performance in a district that currently lags behind many of its big-city peers.

Posley and other MPS officials have said the biggest culprit of the district’s money problems is state aid that hasn’t kept up with inflation. Milwaukee is one of 90 school districts across Wisconsin that are going to referendum this spring.

Milwaukee voters overwhelmingly passed a 2020 referendum that provided $87 million for MPS. Posley said this time around, the funding would allow the district to keep many of the additions the 2020 referendum funded, including expanded music classes at 90 schools, nearly 50 new library staff positions, and upgrades in early childhood classrooms at 62 schools.

“Maintaining what we have,” Posley said. “We’re trying to maintain.”

When asked if passing the referendum on April 2 would ensure the district doesn’t come back in another four years seeking to raise property taxes, Posley pointed to the state Legislature.

“That is a decision the state will have to make around how schools are funded in the state of Wisconsin,” Posley said.

If this referendum passes, property taxes would increase by $324 for a home valued at $150,000. For a home valued at $250,000, it would mean a $540 tax hike.

While state funding accounts for the lion’s share of MPS’ funding, it gets 15% of its funding from the federal government. Most big-city districts are less reliant on federal money, but Milwaukee gets more from Washington than most because of high poverty levels.

30% of MPS students come from families in poverty. Among the 100 biggest districts in the U.S., only five have a higher poverty rate.

District officials say the funding numbers aren’t entirely accurate since about 30% of the district’s federal Title I aid follows voucher students to private schools. That amounts to about 12% of the federal aid MPS receives leaving the district.

Because of the high poverty levels, Posley said that creates a need for more specialized programs in the classroom.

“Tutoring services, one-on-one type of support with young people. How do you manage and build those safety nets around young people for learning?” Posley said. “Those kinds of things takes dollars.”

At Escuela Vieau in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, the 2020 dollars allowed for kindergarten classrooms to be refurbished. That meant new desks and chairs, as well as replacing carpet with refinished hardwood floors. It also allowed the district to hire one more kindergarten teacher.

“It helps with achievement because having a lower student-to-teacher ratio allows teachers to spend more time with individual students,” Marko Radmanovic, the school’s principal, said.

Reversing below average results

Among big-city districts, Milwaukee test results are well below average. Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress, MPS 4th graders’ reading and math scores were at least 20 points worse than the average large district’s results.

For context, 10 points is about the equivalent of one year’s worth of learning. The test result trends show MPS losing ground compared to other large districts. Reading scores were more than 20 points worse than the big-city average in 2022 and 2019. Before that, the gap was 18 points in 2017 and 14 points in 2013.

Poverty correlates strongly with the results, but not entirely. Milwaukee’s results are comparable to Detroit and Baltimore, but Houston and Atlanta had scores much closer to the average large district score despite also having high poverty rates.

Posley maintained MPS was making progress, even if the NAEP results didn’t show it.

“We have made things happen for children on a daily basis, and we are seeing success,” he said. “And I will be the first to tell you that one test does not mean all.”

“Look at classroom assessments, what’s happening throughout the day.”

As MPS asks taxpayers for $252 million in April, I asked Supt. Keith Posley about national testing data (NAEP) that show Milwaukee 4th graders have been scoring worse than the average big city district for more than a decade.
“We have made things happen for children.” pic.twitter.com/W2dZQtky1S
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— A.J. Bayatpour (@AJBayatpour) February 23, 2024

Colleston Morgan said he still had questions. Morgan, a Milwaukee native who was a district administrator in New Orleans, now directs the City Forward Collective, which positions itself as an advocate for all Milwaukee students, in both public and private schools.

“We haven’t seen those numbers move at all, and that’s because we haven’t had a plan,” Morgan said.

In July, MPS did launch a new districtwide strategic plan for 2023 through 2028. Some of its milestones are cut and dry, such as aiming to have all students performing at grade level by the end of their school year, starting in 2026-27. For others, it’s not clear how the district plans to measure success; one goal is having students feel “emotionally and physically safe in school.”

“We need to do better by all of our students here in Milwaukee. We think MPS is an important part of that equation,” Morgan said. “But it’s not clear how they’re gonna use these additional resources to improve that academic picture.”

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee judge calls out marijuana odor in courthouse

Published

8 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee judge calls out marijuana odor in courthouse

A Milwaukee County judge on Thursday, Feb. 26, criticized the smell of marijuana inside the courthouse during a sentencing hearing, calling it inappropriate and illegal as visitors described the odor as common.

Posted February 26, 2026 9:30pm CST

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks sign Cormac Ryan to two-way contract

Published

20 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee Bucks sign Cormac Ryan to two-way contract

The Milwaukee Bucks signed guard Cormac Ryan to a two-way contract for the remainder of the regular season.
Ryan will be ineligible to play for the Bucks during the postseason.
Ryan averaged 20.4 points per game for the G League’s Wisconsin Herd, shooting 42.3% from three-point range.

The Milwaukee Bucks rewarded Cormac Ryan for his strong G League season with the Wisconsin Herd by signing him to a two-way contract. That will allow Ryan, 27, the chance to finish out the regular season with the Bucks. He would be ineligible for postseason play, however.

Ryan joins former Dominican High School star Alex Antetokounmpo and Pete Nance on two-way deals. The Bucks now have a completely full roster, with 15 guaranteed contracts as well.

Ryan was originally signed by the team in the summer, when he played in five summer league games, before inking a training camp contract. He appeared in two preseason games.

Ryan then played 29 games with the Herd and shot 42.3% from behind the 3-point line to average 20.4 points per game. He shot 48.9% from the field overall.

Ryan, a 6-foot-5 guard, played at Stanford (2018-19), Notre Dame (2020-23) and North Carolina (2023-24) before going undrafted. He averaged 10.4 points per game in college on 35.2% 3-point shooting. He made 40.7% of his 3-pointers in 2021-22 at Notre Dame.

He initially signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ryan did not make it out of training camp in 2024 but signed to the Thunder’s G League affiliate.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Cavs?

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Cavs?

The Milwaukee Bucks have an opportunity to steal a victory from one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, they host the tired and diminished Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at Fiserv Forum.

Cleveland (37-22), in contention for a top three seed, beat the New York Knicks on Feb. 24 in Ohio. After flying into Milwaukee after the game, the Cavaliers ruled out MVP candidate Donovan Mitchell and reigning defensive player of the year Evan Mobley. All-star James Harden is questionable to play.

One player who will suit up for Cleveland is point guard Dennis Schröder, who was acquired at the deadline from Sacramento. The 32-year-old is often a thorn in the side of the Bucks, and he scored 24 points in a Kings victory over the Bucks early in the season.

The Bucks are also playing on the second night of a back-to-back, though they slept in their own beds after beating Miami at home. They have won seven of their last nine games.

Milwaukee (25-31) remains out of the postseason picture entirely, however, sitting in 11th place in the East.

The Bucks have beaten teams with winning records in consecutive games only twice this season, with wins over Golden State and New York (Oct. 28-30) and Orlando and Oklahoma City (Feb. 11-12).

And, the Bucks also have struggled against teams that do not have their stars. They lost twice to Denver without all-stars Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray (and even more starters), lost to Minnesota without all-stars Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert and even Portland without starters Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe. They also lost to Philadelphia twice without Joel Embiid and Paul George on a minute limit.

Is Giannis playing?

No.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is still ramping up in his rehab from a Jan. 23 soleus strain in his right calf, which he self-diagnosed as a four- to six-week injury. Antetokounmpo has done “live” practice work with teammates and coaches after the team returned home from New Orleans beginning on Feb. 21.

Before the game against Miami, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo has not gone five-on-five but does not need to. Rivers also added the two-time MVP has not suffered any setbacks with the injury.

What is the Bucks record without Giannis?

10-16

Milwaukee is 15-15 when Antetokounmpo plays any number of minutes.

Cavaliers on hot streak since trading for James Harden

Cleveland, which was the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year with 64 wins, doubled down its roster heading into this season with the most expensive team in the NBA. But, as the trade deadline approached in early February, the team had fallen short of expectations. So, they began shedding salary and talent, most notably homegrown all-star guard Darius Garland.

They shipped the injured 26-year-old to the Los Angeles Clippers for 36-year-old all-star guard James Harden and received an immediate boost, winning five straight and six of seven heading into the game against the Bucks.

But Harden did suffer a fracture in his right (non-shooting) thumb against the Knicks on Feb. 24.

Harden has been solid since arriving in Cleveland, averaging 18.9 points on 48.8% shooting from behind the 3-point line while also averaging 8.0 assists. His presence has rejuvenated all-star center Jarrett Allen, who has averaged 20.4 points on 76.7% shooting since the point guard’s arrival. Before Harden joining the team, Allen averaged 13.9 points on 60% shooting in his first 40 games.

Taurean Prince, out (neck surgery)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, out (right calf strain)

Milwaukee Bucks probable starters

Guards: Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, AJ Green
Forward: Kyle Kuzma
Center: Myles Turner

Cavaliers injury report

Max Strus, out (left foot surgery)
Donovan Mitchell, out (right groin strain)
Evan Mobley, out (left calf injury management)
James Harden, questionable (right thumb fracture)

What time is the Bucks game?

Tip-off is schedule for 7 p.m. CT.

What channel is the Bucks game on?

The game will be simulcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and WMLW The M with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson and Melanie Ricks on the call.