An audit of instruction at Milwaukee Public Schools has identified 38 recommendations to improve learning outcomes in the district.
Gov. Tony Evers released the audit on Friday, four months after releasing an audit of MPS operations that identified inefficiencies and other issues requiring immediate action. Evers hired MGT of America Consulting after MPS did not submit required annual financial audit reports to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction last year. Evers directed $5.5 million last year to fund two independent audits of instruction and operations at MPS.
“We found that MPS employs many passionate, hard-working, and talented educators at every level, and there are pockets of real success within the district,” the audit states. “However, MPS lacks a clear vision and the systems necessary to activate talent and create the conditions for learning in all schools, districtwide. The incoming administration has a real opportunity to establish that vision and develop systems that will ensure a high-quality learning experience for all students.”
The audit involved interviews with MPS leadership, teachers and school administrators; focus groups with students, staff and families; analysis of student achievement, such as test scores, student discipline and attendance data; surveys to students, staff and families; classroom observations; as well as curriculum and instruction plans, among other documents.
The audit acknowledges that the district’s focus and resources have shifted to address lead contamination in multiple school buildings. MPS has needed to temporarily close some schools — such as Fernwood Montessori School, Starms Early Childhood Center, and LaFollette School — which has displaced students and staff.
Before the start of the 2025-2026 school year, MPS expects to complete lead cleanup in 54 district buildings built prior to 1950, according to a May news release. Lead cleanup in another 52 buildings, which were built between 1950 and 1978, is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.
The instructional audit offers a broad list of actions for the district to take long-term, but also suggests three focus areas for the first year:
- “Establish a focused vision for teaching and learning, and communicate that vision clearly across the district and to all staff, students and families.”
- “Establish systems to support that vision, including goal-setting, progress monitoring, and systems of support.”
- “Create a strategic plan and leverage outside resources to rapidly improve the quality of early literacy instruction to align with the science of reading.”
MPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius, who has been leading the district since March, “has already begun” work to address the second point since taking steps to restructure the central office, the audit states. Restructuring the central office was a point of recommendation in the operational audit released in February.
Last month, Cassellius announced additions to the MPS leadership team, eliminations of 31 positions in central office departments, as well as “a restructuring of how principals across the district will be supported and supervised, moving from a regional model of supervisors to eight academic superintendents who will oversee schools across the district to specifically focus on instructional leadership, leading to improved student outcomes,” according to May 13 news release.
MGT’s recommendations include four overarching goals for the district:
- Foster visionary and student-centered leadership.
- Create ambitious instruction and learning.
- Support a culture of support and high expectations.
- Establish authentic partnerships with families and communities.
MPS “lacks a clear focus for instructional improvement or vision for teaching and learning,” the report says. A range of inconsistencies across the district should also be addressed to improve learning outcomes, the report says. Use of evidence-based instructional practices, implementation of core materials, foundational literacy instruction and frameworks for student behavior are some examples of inconsistencies outlined in the audit. Many MPS schools also struggle with staffing shortages.
The audit ultimately provides dozens of recommendations for the district, such as:
- “Restructure central office roles to explicitly support the newly established vision and create robust structures for collaboration aligned to goals and action items.”
- “Set clear expectations for instructional leadership and hold principals accountable consistently across the district.”
- “Create systems at the district level to hold all schools accountable to high expectations that are clearly aligned to the district vision.”
- “Create a districtwide vision for positive student culture and evidence-based disciplinary practices.”
In a Friday news release, Evers said the instructional and operations audits provide MPS with “the blueprint it needs to do this important work, including concrete steps and recommendations they can begin to implement toward ensuring every kid in Milwaukee has access to a high-quality public education.”
“With new leadership, I think the district is taking steps to be headed in the right direction, and I look forward to the district implementing these audit findings and recommendations without delay,” Evers said.
