Wisconsin releases final $8M to Milwaukee Public Schools, audit submitted
MPS 'Corrective Action Plan'
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public schools received the final $8 million in state funding, the last installment of withheld funds from 2025.
Money released, audit submitted
What we know:
MPS also submitted its external financial audit for the 2024-25 fiscal year, the third audit completed in 13 months.
What they're saying:
"Since arriving in Milwaukee in March, my focus has been on improving the operation of our district so that we can meet the needs and expectations of our students, families, and staff while we also rebuild the trust and transparency they deserve," said MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. "I’m proud of the team here at MPS who committed to fixing these significant issues with a sense of determination and Milwaukee pride while facing intense public pressure and scrutiny. They rose to the occasion and showed that we all can expect great things in MPS."
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Audit of Milwaukee Public Schools; Gov. Evers proposes instructional changes
Gov. Tony Evers released on Friday, June 13, the second of two independent audits of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).
Lead abatement
What we know:
In December, Superintendent Cassellius was joined by MPS Board leadership, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and city health officials to announce the district had completed the work to stabilize lead paint in nearly 100 schools, marking the end of another serious issue the district faced in 2025.
MPS lead crisis: District shares update on lead paint stabilization efforts
Milwaukee Public Schools says lead stabilization work is complete at 99 elementary schools, finishing ahead of deadline and costing more than $43 million, with new steps planned to prevent future issues.
Moving forward
What they're saying:
"Under Superintendent Cassellius’s leadership, MPS has made meaningful progress and is putting systems in place to meet its financial reporting obligations going forward," said Wisconsin State Superintendent Dr. Underly. "Accurate and timely reporting is essential to ensuring public confidence that school districts across Wisconsin are responsibly managing public resources. We will continue to work in partnership with MPS to strengthen these efforts. I am grateful for the collaborative work of the DPI team and MPS staff to address these challenges and improve processes for the future."
"The school board is committing to strengthening trust with our community, and this is a critical step in the process," Milwaukee Board of School Directors President Missy Zombor added. "We are grateful for the superintendent's leadership and the work of our partners as we continue to support ongoing technology improvements that will promote long-term fiscal health and responsible stewardship of resources."
MPS
Additionally, MPS has begun implementing new systems that will allow district financial platforms to communicate directly with the state's system. This was the root of the past reporting delays, requiring intense manual work, according to MPS.
Other completed operational improvements based on a state operational audit of the district include, "rebuilding and hiring key personnel on the finance team, establishing new standard operating protocols, rebuilding the control environment, and partnering with human resources on position control."
MPS says these positive changes put the district on pace to rectify past accounting errors and ensure timeliness and accuracy of district books.
The Source: Milwaukee Public Schools sent FOX6 the information. FOX6 has reported extensively on the ongoing financial issues and lead stabilization efforts.