Grigsby, Coggs propose legislation to reform MPS, help children succeed

RACE for Success will foster partnership, empower parents and communities

Madison -- As American Education Week begins, State Representative Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) and State Senator Spencer Coggs joined education advocates, professionals, and community members from throughout Milwaukee to introduce a bold proposal for education reform.

Dubbed the “RACE for Success,” the Reforming & Advancing Children’s Education for Success Act is a new initiative developed by Grigsby and Coggs that is aimed at improving Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and providing children with the opportunities and tools they need to succeed.
“The RACE for Success represents a firm commitment to our children and to recognizing the democratic rights of our fellow citizens, while instating a sense of shared accountability in public education at the same time,” Representative Grigsby said.

“By setting up a framework for true partnership between the school board and the city, we are taking the necessary steps to create a brighter future for students and our communities. The time for pointing fingers is over. We need a system that encourages our democratically-elected mayor to work with an empowered, democratically-elected school board, which is exactly what the RACE for Success will provide.”

The Reforming and Advancing Children's Education (RACE) for Success Act establishes a new framework for partnership regarding public education in Milwaukee.

Under the proposal, the democratically elected MPS School Board and the Mayor of Milwaukee will form a “Partnership for Success” tasked with working together to identify and meet the challenges that threaten students' ability to learn. Under the proposal:

* The Partnership for Success will consist of the MPS School Board and the City of Milwaukee Common Council. Both the mayor and the school board president will serve as co-chairs of the partnership.

* Through the Partnership for Success, both the city and school board would be responsible for maintaining a "Grassroots Education Network" of community organizations aimed at increasing civic and parental engagement with Milwaukee Public Schools.

* The democratically-elected MPS School Board shall ultimately select the school superintendent, but the mayor will have the power to provide input into the superintendent search and even possibly reject the board's final selection through a new veto authority. Ultimately, that veto would be subject to a potential override by the school board

* The school board shall maintain its authority over the MPS budget and school policy, but the mayor will be given the ability to control the property tax levy if the school board's budget increased that levy by more than 8%. In such a situation, the mayor would receive line-item veto authority over the school budget that would in turn be subject to a potential veto override by the elected school board.

“Our children deserve meaningful education reform that will truly make a positive difference in their lives,” Senator Coggs said.

“Opportunity is the cornerstone of our public education system and success for our children is its ultimate goal. These principles are at the core of the proposal we present today. By providing new opportunities for our young students and enabling them to achieve more, the RACE for Success will empower students, parents, and our entire city to do more.”

The RACE for Success was developed in conjunction with various stakeholders and people from throughout Milwaukee. A collaborative effort, the proposal itself is a product of partnership, which is precisely what Grigsby and Coggs hope to foster between the MPS School Board and Milwaukee city officials.

Both Grigsby and Coggs intend to highlight their proposal as an alternative to the proposed mayoral takeover of MPS. In other cities, mayoral takeovers of public school systems have not proven themselves as an effective means of urban education reform.