School choice is on top in Milwaukee, not public schools 

Can a troubled district really contain multiple top schools? 

That’s apparently the case in Milwaukee, a beleaguered urban district with widespread problems of poverty, crime and absenteeism. 

Only 16% of students can read at grade level, and it’s less than 10% in math, yet Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is home to at least five of the top-ranked high schools in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. The district touts this “achievement,” on its fact sheet and its headquarters, but does it really deserve the credit? 

Experts say the success of MPS is from its charter schools and school choice programs, not the traditional public school system. 

“Educational choice is the single policy with demonstrable results in the decades of MPS ‘reform’ efforts,” says Nicholas Kelly, head of School Choice Wisconsin. “Scores of choice students have gone up while those of MPS students have declined.” 

First in Choice

Milwaukee was first in the country with its school choice program in 1990, aimed at helping families in the overwhelmingly poor and minority district access better schools. MPS is also home to independently-run charter schools, two of which are among the top-ranked high schools. Three other top high schools use a scoring system to admit students when there are more applicants than seats, according to the district.

About 9,000 of Milwaukee’s 69,000 students attend public charter schools that are authorized by MPS, The Center Square reports. An additional 14,300 students use the choice program to attend schools outside of MPS, including private schools.  

The traditional public schools in the district have lost 42% of their students, down from 101,300 in 1997-98, according to the Badger Institute. 

Ongoing Scandal

Further scandal has rocked MPS this year with the superintendent resigning, the comptroller fired and the state withholding nearly $50 million in funding amid allegations of widespread financial mismanagement. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson has called for the district to be split up or taken over by the state. 

Parents unsuccessfully attempted to recall four school board members and are also suing the district for failure to comply with a state law requiring police officers in schools. The district ended its school resources officer program in 2020 and has yet to restore it. Police were called to MPS more than 3,000 times last year. 

The district’s chaos, and the proven cost-savings from school choice, are reasons expand those programs in Milwaukee and statewide, say advocates. 

“Wisconsin choice students perform better despite being financed at 70% of the average public school cost,” Kelly says. “No response to the regrettable MPS debacle will be adequate if it does not include expanded educational choice for all families. Every child deserves an exit pass. 

“It’s time to remove family income eligibility limits so that all Milwaukee families have the private school option that is demonstrably working for currently eligible families and for the city,” he adds. 

Academic Progress

Additionally, choice has benefitted low-income and other disadvantaged students, whom the program was most intended to help. 

“The most comprehensive study of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program shows that private choice students enter the program performing at significantly lower levels than the average MPS student. Nonetheless, for the last several years choice students on average are outperforming MPS,” Kelly said. “[The comparison includes] choice students from low-income and working-class families with MPS students of all income levels, including those at MPS selective admission schools. The performance gap between choice and MPS students would be much larger if the comparison were between students with similar demographic backgrounds.” 

It appears in Milwaukee the five high schools aren’t on top, school choice is.