Wauwatosa STEM School closing; board votes not to renew contract

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Some Wauwatosa parents say they are blindsided and disappointed after the school district voted to close down the Wauwatosa STEM School.

What we know:

The Wauwatosa School Board on Tuesday night, April 22, voted 4–2 to not renew the charter school's contract. The charter school's contract expires in June 2026.

On Wednesday, the school district said the board will not enter further negotiations for an alternative charter school.

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Some parents hope putting pressure on the board might reverse that decision. They also are calling out the district after the board went into closed session for two hours Tuesday night then voted with no explanation.

What they're saying:

"Everyone was blindsided, we were heartbroken," parent Jessica Haywood said.

"It was a gut punch," Shawn Cissell said. "We don’t know why. They’ve been very non-transparent through this entire process."

"I think it is just really difficult to have trust in a school board and the district at this point," parent Megan Rhines said.

"I am sad and disappointed in the decision. I am mad and angry in how it all went down," said parent Jed Terc. "The issue is how it was handled by the district. How we were not included in the process."

Dig deeper:

The state's report card scored Wauwatosa STEM with a 94.6. It's that kind of education parents say make this school different from others.

"It's very project based learning and also very collaborative," Cissell said.

"All of the age groups come together for engineering," Rhines said. "So they’re working in multiage level and it is a very immersive experience."

The school is ranked one of the top elementary schools in the state. Terc worries for the future of all schools in the district.

"I think we are going to see more families moving out of the district, I have heard of different families leaving, people going to private school," Terc said.

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The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is suing the Wauwatosa district, citing the shutdown is racially motivated.

Official Statement:

The Wauwatosa School Board shared the following statement:

"We understand that this announcement will solicit varying opinions within our greater school community. We are committed to making the final year of the WSTEM representative of the past educational experience that has been offered at the school since its inception.

Looking forward, the District is excited to launch its Discovery Lab elementary special for all students starting next school year. The STEM-focused elementary special will provide hands-on instructional opportunities to all children in Wauwatosa. We are truly proud to provide this innovative instructional experience for all of our students starting next year.

As the District continues to address challenges such as elementary school boundary line changes, the financial impact of open enrollment, secondary school configuration, and a transition of 6th grade back into our elementary schools, we will continue to update the community on these truly transformational macro issues impacting the District."