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MPS budget frustrates teachers union
Milwaukee Public Schools students briefly went back to the classroom Tuesday, but extreme heat sent them home early. A budget debate raged as well.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools students briefly went back to the classroom Tuesday, but extreme heat sent them home early.
"I’m happy to be back at school," said student Sloan Becker.
Outside Maryland Avenue Montessori School, there was plenty of pageantry for the first day of class. But among the celebration, there was frustration. The teachers union president said, because of the state budget, students are returning to the classroom with fewer resources than last year.
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"MPS students are returning to school with fewer resources than they had last year, while unaccountable private voucher schools that screen, sort and select only the students and families they want to serve will have more resources," said Amy Mizialko, president of the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association.
"The state budget fails to keep up with inflation, and MPS students will see zero new dollars invested in them this year."
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MPS welcomes students on first day of 2023-24 school year
Milwaukee Public Schools welcomes students back to class for the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Gov. Tony Evers, a former educator, signed the budget Mizialko attacked. He spoke to FOX6 News after Tuesday's news conference.
"From my recollection, MPS is getting $65 million more than it did last year," he said. "It’s in state law, if you give school districts more money it automatically upcycles voucher schools. That’s in state law."
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The budget back-and-forth comes as not all MPS schools have air conditioning. The district's guidelines for heat-related closures are when heat index values (feels like temperature) are expected to be 95 degrees or higher during the daytime hours. The heat index forecast for Tuesday is between 95 and 98 degrees. Two weeks ago, high heat closed district schools two days in a row.
"We have embedded in our calendar where we can make up this time," said MPS Superintended Keith Posley.
School officials celebrate first day of school in Milwaukee
Posley said he is also hopeful the budget will mean good things for MPS families. While it will take time to get a sense of what exactly the state budget means for MPS, families kicked off the year with hope.
"It is exciting, but it is bittersweet," said parent Lai King Moy. "It’s really fun to have the kids thriving here. The school environment is great."
The state's largest school district said breakfast and lunch would be served with course work in between – and then kids were sent home at staggered times between 11 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. All after-school, recreation, and sports programs are also canceled for the day.