MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Milwaukee public school district struggles with a “culture resistant to change” that has undermined its ability to function properly, disproportionately harming its most vulnerable students, an audit ordered by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers released on Thursday found.
Evers, who served as Wisconsin's superintendent of schools before becoming governor, ordered the independent audit last year after it became known the district failed to submit financial reports to the state leading to the resignation of the district's superintendent and the withholding of funding by state officials.
The audit found that the district, which is the state's largest, with more than 66,000 students, must make sweeping, high-level changes to be more transparent with parents and taxpayers.
“MPS must make systemic changes to ensure that students—particularly the most vulnerable—are at the center of every decision,” the audit by MGT of America Consulting said. “Ultimately, this work is in service of students, whose future success hinges on a district capable of delivering equitable, high-quality education.”
Auditors identified “critical issues stemming from leadership and staff turnover, fragmented planning, outdated systems, and unproductive reporting protocols, which have led to siloed operations and inefficient practices.”
Evers. in a statement, urged the district to quickly accept the audit's 29 recommendations.
“This audit is a critical next step for getting MPS back on track and, ultimately, improving outcomes for our kids,” Evers said.
The school district said in a statement that the audit will serve as a guide for improvement.
“While acknowledging the need for focused support, the report makes clear that we have an opportunity to build on this momentum, strengthening our schools and communities while creating a more unified path forward,” the district said.
The audit was released two days after Milwaukee schools announced it was hiring former Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius as its new superintendent. The audit also comes amid a race for the state superintendent of schools, where school and student performance is a top issue.
Evers made $5.5 million in public funds available for a pair of audits. The first one cost $2.5 million and Evers said the remaining $3 million will be used to help the district implement the audit's recommendations. He is proposing that an additional $5 million be spent to address future audit results, including one pending related to instruction.
The money would only be awarded if the state is satisfied that the district is making progress, Evers said.
FILE - Voters wait in line to cast ballots at Washington High School to vote in the state's presidential primary election in Milwaukee, April 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers gives the annual State of the State address, Jan. 22, 2025, at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is postponing several scheduled events this week to promote his new book, “ Antisemitism in America: A Warning,” after some liberal groups had planned to stage protests.
The cancellations of events in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and other cities came amid widespread criticism from the party’s liberal base over Schumer’s vote to move forward with Republican spending legislation last week. Risa Heller, a representative for Schumer’s book, said the tour would be rescheduled “due to security concerns.”
Schumer said the spending bill was “terrible” but that a shutdown would have been far worse, and difficult to end, as President Donald Trump has already slashed jobs and funding for agencies across the government. A shutdown would have given Trump even more power to make cuts, Schumer said, “and so many programs would be lost.”
House Democrats strongly disagreed with Schumer’s decision and criticized him directly: “We will not be complicit,” Democratic leaders said in a joint statement.
The public rift among Democrats, and the onslaught of criticism toward Schumer, came after years of relative unity during Trump’s first term and during President Joe Biden's time in the White House. It's a reflection of how Democrats have become increasingly frustrated with their inability to stop Trump’s Cabinet confirmations and mass firings of federal workers.
At a news conference on Friday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries repeatedly refused to say whether he has confidence in Schumer — a rare break for the two longtime New York colleagues.
“We do not want to shut down the government. But we are not afraid of a government funding showdown,” Jeffries said.
Schumer and Jeffries met in Brooklyn on Sunday, according to two people familiar with the meeting. But the discontent with Schumer went far beyond House leadership, and some of the nation’s most influential progressive groups warned of serious political consequences.
Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, wrote on social media last week that Democratic activists planned to express their anger at town halls or other public events. MoveOn, another progressive group that claims nearly 10 million members nationwide, predicted that its activists would also demand answers from Democratic officials.
“Clearing the way for Donald Trump and Elon Musk to gut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is unacceptable. It’s past time for Democrats to fight and stop acting like it’s business as usual,” said Joel Payne, a spokesperson for MoveOn.
In Baltimore on Monday evening, some protesters still gathered outside the Enoch Pratt Free Library where Schumer was scheduled to speak. While the group was more focused on Schumer's strong support for Israel, some speakers criticized his decision to vote to move forward with the spending bill. Homemade signs read “Schumer is a coward” and “Chuck sold us out.”
One organizer celebrated that they had “pushed Chuck Schumer out of Baltimore,” to cheers.
“If Sen. Schumer wants to come back, we’ll be even more prepared,” said Nikki Morse, a spokesperson with the Baltimore chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.
Associated Press writer Lea Skene in Baltimore contributed to this report.
A sign announcing that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer's scheduled book tour event was postponed is seen in a window of the Central Library branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Demonstrators gather in front of the Central Library branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer's scheduled book tour event was postponed, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer gives a television interview, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Demonstrators gather in front of the Central Library branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer's scheduled book tour event was postponed, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
