City Forward Collective

Ending Educational Inequity in Milwaukee

Gennea Gaughan

Milwaukee Public Schools budget gap nearly $50M; years of overspending

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Milwaukee Public Schools faces a $46 million budget gap stemming from years of overspending, rising transportation costs, and declining student enrollment. While Superintendent Brenda Cassellius has announced immediate measures to address the deficit—including hiring freezes and staffing cuts—education advocacy organization City Forward Collective warns that short-term solutions won’t fix deeper structural issues. Executive Director Colleston Morgan emphasized the need to address the root problem: “The district is simply too big for the number of students it has now, and likely to have in the future.” Read the full analysis to learn about the budget crisis and calls for long-term fiscal responsibility.

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Milwaukee schools face a $46M budget deficit

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Superintendent Brenda Cassellius outlined a multi-pronged approach to address Milwaukee Public Schools’ $46 million budget deficit, emphasizing that “Our budget is a reflection of our values, and for us that begins with students and classrooms.” Her plan includes reviewing unspent funds, freezing non-essential positions, increasing federal nutrition program participation, studying transportation costs, and reducing central office staffing. She aims to reduce the imbalance by June 30 while maintaining elementary class caps at 28 students and middle school caps at 32.

However, Colleston Morgan Jr. of City Forward Collective, a nonprofit advocacy group, raised significant long-term concerns, warning that “The district projects a cumulative deficit of $420 million by the end of the 2030-31 school year if it continues on its current trajectory.” While acknowledging the board’s proposed cuts, Morgan suggests the school system faces more serious structural challenges ahead.

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In Focus: City Forward Collective discusses challenges to the state’s school funding formula

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Colleston Morgan Jr., executive director of City Forward Collective, discusses challenges to Wisconsin’s school funding formula. As head of an advocacy group focused on addressing inequity in education, Morgan joined Spectrum News 1 to examine how the current funding allocation impacts property taxes and educational equity across the state.

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Should MPS close schools before asking to raise taxes? The district says savings wouldn’t be significant

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Milwaukee Public Schools is seeking a $252 million tax referendum on April 2 before finalizing plans to close or consolidate underutilized schools. District leaders argue closure savings wouldn’t significantly address the budget crisis, but Colleston Morgan Jr, Executive Director of City Forward Collective, disagrees. Morgan says MPS is “putting the cart before the horse” by asking voters to raise taxes without first presenting the public with specific options for right-sizing the district. The decision contrasts sharply with other Southeast Wisconsin districts like Wauwatosa and Kenosha, which have already acted on school consolidation plans.

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Voters support consolidating MPS to stabilize district’s finances, survey shows

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A poll commissioned by City Forward Collective found that 59% of Milwaukee voters support consolidating Milwaukee Public Schools to stabilize the district’s finances—with voters preferring consolidation over a new funding referendum by a 26-point margin. The survey also revealed that 61% of voters support creating a state-level oversight body to ensure MPS accountability.

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