Cassellius: 'Much more than 5' MPS schools to close or merge in coming years

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Brenda Cassellius offered new details Wednesday about the district's long-term plans to close or merge low-enrollment schools across the state's largest district.

Cassellius also outlined the district's plans to change the way many MPS schools are structured, and she also shared an update about plans to create a new central safety hub.

Cassellius took questions from reporters as part of the Milwaukee Press Club's 'Newsmakers' series. 

In recent weeks, a hired outside consultant, Perkins Eastman, has shared its findings as MPS puts together a long-term plan for its 156 buildings. A presentation the district posted last month highlighted five or six schools as prime candidates to either close or merge, based on enrollment, age and the viability of surrounding schools.

The buildings highlighted in that presentation are Auer Avenue, Clarke Street, Douglas, Hopkins Lloyd, Keefe Avenue and Siefert. Cassellius said Wednesday that conversation is just the start of what will be a difficult process.

"I think it's gonna be, over the next three to five years, it's gonna be much more than five schools, but I don't know what that looks like," Cassellius said. "I'm much more in favor of merging schools and repurposing the schools that are left behind."

Cassellius added she opposed a current state law that mandates MPS can only sell its buildings to charter or private schools for two years before selling to any other buyer. She said she'd prefer if the sites of closed schools were instead converted into housing, community centers or park space.

Cassellius said closing and merging schools is the only responsible course of action for a district that has seen enrollment decline from more than 100,000 students to about 65,000. As of last year, 23 schools are operating at less than 60% of their capacity, and 14 of the schools are less than half-full, not counting chronic attendance problems that plague the district.

"There are just a number of school buildings that are in disrepair," she said. "The deferred maintenance on those buildings- it just doesn't make sense to change roofs and do HVAC systems, and they are inadequate spaces for children. They don't have play yards."

No more K-8 schools?

Now on the job for six months, Cassellius also discussed plans to rearrange the structure of many MPS buildings. She wants to move away from having any K-8 schools. Instead, Cassellius plans to move sixth-graders into what are currently K-5 elementary schools while junior and high school students would attend buildings for grades 7-12.

"There's opportunities with different programming that you can have for junior high models, for 7th, 8th and 9th graders," she said. "And then, you can do more of the college and career apprenticeship type of track for 10th, 11th and 12th graders."

Cassellius added some of the district's academic problems stem from students not feeling challenged or stimulated. She said a prime example of that is 7th and 8th grade students in low-enrollment K-8 schools.

"I think what hasn't served our students well is where you have 7th and 8th graders in a K-8 school, and you have 25 of those kids," she said. "They're just got getting the rigor they need to be successful at the high school level."

Cassellius said there will be community feedback sessions before any final decisions to close schools. An update the district posted last week noted changes to the grade arrangement will start taking effect in the 2026-27 school year. Heavier changes, such as school closures, won't happen until the 2027-28 year.

More money challenges ahead

Cassellius said MPS will soon face another round of tough fiscal decisions. She said the district is committed to competitive pay, and that will mean proposed staff raises to the tune of about $30 million in her next proposed budget.

Between that and inflation, Cassellius said the district was staring down a budget gap of about $100 million. Cassellius said the district would look to make cuts where it can, although she added she was hopeful the state would provide a funding boost. The current two-year state budget, signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers in July after a compromise with GOP legislative leaders, kept general school aid flat but boosted special education spending.

"I'm hoping we'll get a state Legislature that will be able to use some of its surplus to be able to put that toward children," Cassellius said.

The superintendent noted MPS will continue to see additional dollars over the next two years from a $252 million referendum Milwaukee voters narrowly passed in the spring of 2024. After that, Cassellius did not rule out going back to voters but added that would only happen under extreme circumstances.

"Would I go to referendum? Only if we need it," she said. "It's not like I wanna go out just to go and do fluffy stuff. I'll come out if I absolutely need it, and the board agrees that we need it."

Update on safety hub

Cassellius also shared more information about the district's safety plans. She's said safety is one of the district's three core pillars, along with improved literacy and "operational excellence." 

She said MPS was still working toward creating a "safe schools hub," which would be a centralized location where security staff would monitor feeds of every surveillance camera across the district.

Cassellius added the district was still in the process of bringing new weapon detectors into MPS high schools. However, she said one hurdle slowing down that project was principals disagreeing on which type of scanner would be best for their buildings. Cassellius said those conversations are still ongoing.