When Dr. Keith P. Posley was appointed Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) in 2018, he outlined an ambitious plan centered on five key priorities: increasing academic achievement and accountability, improving district and school culture, developing staff, ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency, and strengthening communication and collaboration. However, the outcomes of these priorities reveal a stark contrast between vision and reality.
Increasing Academic Achievement and Accountability
Dr. Posley aimed to boost academic performance across the district. Unfortunately, MPS continues to struggle with alarmingly low proficiency rates in fundamental areas. Only 15.8% of students are proficient in reading, and 11.5% in math. These figures are significantly below state averages, of 39% and 41%.
Improving District and School Culture
Another of Posley’s goals was to enhance the overall culture within the district and its schools. Yet, MPS has faced ongoing issues with school safety and climate. Reports of violence and safety breaches are frequent, especially in high schools, contributing to a rotten environment for students who are actually in school to learn. The decision to remove School Resource Officers (SROs) and cow towing to pro-crime progressive activists further exacerbated safety concerns.
Developing MPS Staff
Developing a competent and motivated staff was another priority of Posley. While there have been efforts to implement professional development and training, the overall impact remains limited. The district’s chronic absenteeism, a symptom of broader community issues, indicates that staff development initiatives have not effectively addressed the root causes of educational disengagement among students. The district struggles to even find where students enrolled in their system are and why they are not reporting to school.
Ensuring Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency
Fiscal responsibility and transparency were another component of Posley’s plan. However, his tenure was marred by significant financial mismanagement. He resigned as a result. The district’s failure to submit essential financial reports to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) led to warnings of potential funding cuts, highlighting severe lapses in financial oversight and accountability and could jeopardize millions of dollars of funding for the district.
Strengthening Communication and Collaboration
Posley sought to strengthen communication and collaboration within MPS and with the community. Despite this goal, the district has struggled with transparency and effective communication, particularly concerning its financial troubles and safety issues. This has resulted in a lack of trust and collaboration between the district administration, staff, parents, and the community. The MPS school board claims they had no knowledge of the failure to report to DPI.
Dr. Posley’s tenure as Superintendent of MPS was characterized by a series of unmet goals. His ambitious plan to transform the district faltered in execution, resulting in continued poor academic performance, safety issues, inadequate staff development, financial mismanagement, and ineffective communication. As MPS seeks new leadership, little hope remains of effective strategies to address these deep-rooted problems that exist in Milwaukee.
