MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools is preparing to host multiple town hall meetings as the district works to reshape its future, which may include closures or mergers.
The Long Range Facilities Master Plan data report, compiled by the district's consultant Perkins Eastman and released Friday, reveals that nearly all MPS buildings are more than 55 years old.
Enrollment at MPS dropped 14% over the last decade, consistent with national trends in similar urban districts.
The data shows the number of births in Milwaukee declined 24% between 2010 and 2022, a long-term trend MPS cannot ignore.
Watch: Parents share hopes and input for school district ahead of MPS town hall
Closures, mergers, and improvements are among the options on the table as the district formulates a proposal.
"Right now, there's nothing final," said Sean Kane, senior director of facilities and maintenance services for MPS. "It's not a one-year plan. It's a 5- to 10-year plan, and everyone has to understand the gravity of this."
"Something's changing, and if that's a requirement, if that's a need, then why not consider it," said Alicia Hardy, who has lived in Milwaukee for nearly 20 years.
"I would like to see them centralize the schools, make them more accessible to the neighborhoods, and pour the same kind of resources into every school as they do the specialty schools," MPS parent Ryan Williams told TMJ4 News.
Williams wants the district to be brutally honest about what needs to happen.
"The medicine we need is not always the one we want," Williams said. "Parents and taxpayers are shareholders, basically, in MPS. We're the ones funding it. We're the ones sending our children into it with our best hopes for their futures."
MPS leaders say they need input from the community.
The district will host four in-person town hall meetings and two virtual meetings. The schedule and a link to the information that will be presented are below.
In-person town hall meetings will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on the following dates:
- Monday, Sept. 30, at Rufus King International High School, 1801 W. Olive St.
- Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Parkside School for the Arts, 2969 S. Howell Ave.
- Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Hamilton High School, 6215 W. Warnimont Ave.
- Thursday, Oct. 3, at James Madison High School, 8135 W. Florist Ave.
Two virtual town hall meetings will be held via Zoom on Monday, October 7, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. To register, go to mpsmke.com/mpsspsc.
Details on the the 10-year plan can be found here www.mpsfacilitiesplan.com.
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