Milwaukee Parents

WELCOME to

the Parent Page of MPA/Milwaukee Professionals Association. We are one of 25 workforce groups indentified in Campaign Neighborhood - CFNBA Smart Growth 5-Year Signature Plan (2005–2010) for professional growth in the next 5 years.

We will address 30 specifics that affect our children in MPS/Milwaukee Public Schools as well as Charter and Choice Schools in Milwaukee.

Issues of prime importance and concern are:

• 3-, 6-, 9-month and annual board meeting held in the community conducive to parent involvement (time and place)
• a parent blog on MPS website
• achievement growth and improvement in MPS
• best practices and customer care
• board members accountability
• board members constituent services
• daily interactions with school sites
• decision making of policies affecting MPS students
• digital divide of parents and students
• failure to communicate and provide information to make parents “equal partners” for corrections where needed
• hiring parents
• increases in benefits for MPS staff but decrease in performance w/MPS students
• joint quarterly and annual meetings during DIFI status
• library, sports and the arts
• MPA-Parent Group as one of the partners for strategic planning
• MPS recent two-three year failure with “NO Child Left Behind” and the DIFI Plan
• MPS Title I DAC monthly communications
• MPS Title I DAC selection and decision making for board
• MPS Title I District Advisory Board communication w/state and local bodies (DPI/MPS board/MPS superintendent)
• negative branding of students - at risk, disadvantaged, minority
• parent responsibilities and accountability
• parent training and in-servicing
• parents as planners and decision makers
• parents recognized at the state(DPI/Department of Public Instruction) and local (MPS) level
• state superintendent inclusive plan for MPS parents
• state superintendent role, responsibility and accountability in DIFI status districts
• student responsibilities and accountability
• superintendent and MPS staff respecting rights and responsibility of students
• superintendent and MPS staff respecting rights of parents
• unused libraries
• use of city law enforcement in schools
• use of radio station for communicating issues and concerns regarding parents (parent-use and MPS)

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MPS graduation rate is 46%, study says
District disagrees, but it lags suburbs

By ALAN J. BORSUK
aborsuk@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 1, 2008

Milwaukee Public Schools was one of 17 urban districts listed with a graduation rate below 50% in a report released Tuesday by America’s Promise Alliance, an organization aimed at promoting solutions to problems affecting America’s youth.

MPS was listed as having a graduation rate of 46.1%, based on data from the 2003-‘04 school year. That put MPS in 38th place among the 50 largest districts in the nation.

But the concern expressed in the report about the graduation rates in urban school systems applied across the breadth of the nation. Overall, including suburban areas, about 70% of students graduate on time with a regular diploma.

Full Story,
46% Graduation Rate

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Parents and School Strategic Planning

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Parent and Elected Official

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Parent and Teachers

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Parent and Business Owner

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Parent and Technology Training

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Parent and Clergy

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Parent and Carpooling

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Parent and Bike Safety

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Grandparents and Family

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Bus Transportation

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Parent Speakers

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Parent on Field Trip

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Parent Proctor - Testing

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Parent Safety Ambassador

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Parents as teachers

Parent/Student - Graduation

Parent/Student - Graduation Parent/Student - Graduation

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We are interested in PARENTS and ALUMNs of the following statutory and government funded institutions to join Milwaukee Association Parent Group. They are:

Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee - University of Wisconsin

Special In-service Training for Parents and Teachers
Cardinal Stritch University

MEMBERSHIP
Parents are asked to pay a flat rate of $5.00 per year for membership.

Keep coming back.

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Come back soon for more. In the meantime, visit one of our fellow divisions, click on, * Barber and Cosmetology

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Thank you for stopping in. We hope you do it often.

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2006-2007 MPS DISTRICT REPORT CARD

Milwaukee Public Schools 8 Districts

WEBSITES
MPS Website

WI Department of Public Instruction website

No Child Left Behind

Frequently Asked Questions - No Child Left Behind

Recommended Links for Parents

Getting Students Help

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DPI

MPS District Identified for Improvement Plan Overview

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is required by law to annually identify districts that did not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward meeting the state’s academic performance standards.

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has been identified as a District Identified for Improvement (DIFI) Level 2, based on testing in the 2006–07 school year. As a district, MPS has not made adequate yearly progress for three consecutive years on the same objectives (i.e., reading and mathematics) at the elementary, middle, and high school grade spans.

If MPS misses AYP again in 2007–08, the district moves to a DIFI Level 3status. While the DPI may take corrective action at any time with respect to a district identified for improvement, at the end of the second full year a district is identified for improvement the agency is required to impose corrective action as defined by federal law.

MPS has assessed district and school needs through a Council for Great City Schools review and
developed an Action Plan to Improve Milwaukee Public Schools approved by the MPS Board of Directors.

We all agree with the action plan statement, “We cannot achieve different results without doing things differently.” The DPI is committed to increasing the achievement of all Milwaukee students and closing achievement gaps by building on the work of the Council for Great City Schools, supporting the MPS action plan, and working in collaboration with MPS.

The agency also is directing MPS to implement delineated, high-leverage strategies as a requirement of receiving Title I Supplement Grant funds. The high-leverage strategies include

Offering summer school in all schools identified for improvement (SIFI), starting in the
summer of 2008, with a focus on reading and mathematics instruction.

Expanding reading/mathematics instruction in all SIFI schools at the primary and
intermediate levels and providing reading intervention courses at the high school level
starting with the 2008–09 school year.

Developing a plan for extended calendars of a minimum of 30 additional days of instruction to
be piloted in 2008–09 at two SIFI schools.

Providing targeted professional development for principals of SIFI schools starting this school
year.

Using the district and school improvement accountability model to ensure consistent
implementation of the district DIFI plan and district- and state-identified high-leverage
strategies as well as monitoring of educational plans at the school level.

Additionally, MPS is required by state law to identify all initial educators and provide high-quality mentoring and support.

These high-leverage strategies and the accountability plan advance the commitment of the DPI and MPS to increase achievement, close achievement gaps, and eliminate disparities in student learning in Milwaukee. The DPI is assisting MPS in funding the high-leverage strategies through use of Title I funds, including $3.7 million this year in Title I Supplemental Aid.

To achieve different, improved results for the students of Milwaukee Public Schools and ensure change reaches into the classroom level, it is time to do things differently.

Submitted: October 2007

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707–7841
Street Address: 125 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 53703
Telephone: (608) 266–3390
Toll Free: (800) 441–4563
FAX: (608) 267–1052
TDD: (608) 267–2427
Internet Address: dpi.wi.gov

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