MILWAUKEE — In the 2023-24 school year, Milwaukee Public School saw 23,750 suspensions, 18,438 of those suspensions, almost 78%, were Black students.
That number comes in a school district that is around 50% Black.
This summer, the district put out its "Alternatives to Suspension Toolkit" for the 2024-25 school year.
The 56-page document is the blueprint for how MPS will look at discipline in the upcoming school year.
The document has been created over the years by the district. Back in 2018, the district entered a settlement agreement with the US Department of Education to work to reduce any racial disparity in its disciplinary referrals.
"We are looking at Alternatives to suspension, starting day one as proactive practices," said Jon Jagemann the district discipline manager at MPS.
In the toolkit, MPS outlines five priorities including building relationships and community, setting expectations and procedures for students, skill development, accountability, and acknowledging positive behavior from students.
Watch: MPS district discipline manager outlines plan to reduce bias and suspensions
The plan looks to establish positive interactions between students and implement restorative practices, all while being mindful of the trauma students have faced outside the classroom.
It also gives teachers examples of misbehavior and suggestions on how to correct them. All district employees have had to go through racial consciousness training as well.
"We started that training on March 1, 2021, and we had a three-year plan for all MPS staff members to attend that," Jagemann said. "We reached that goal in March of 2024 and now we are doing maintenance of all new staff members."
All this, the district says, is to lower suspensions and address the racial disparity in the suspension numbers.
"That really is the best practice we're going to continue to engage in," Jagemann said. "Learning what moved the needle a bit and continue to push that where we need it."
MPS says these practices start on day one of the new school year.
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