Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is currently facing a financial crisis. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius is an innovative, experienced leader whose heart is focused on the children. As she explores every avenue to restore financial stability, the community, the board, and the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (MTEA) must support her vision.
However, MPS is ignoring a massive, ongoing revenue loss: the systematic push of successful public school students out of the district.
To understand this, we must look at the math. For every student attending an MPS non-instrumentality charter (NIC) — public school like Carmen, Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA), or Milwaukee College Prep (MCP) that are publicly funded but use non-district staff—the district acts as the fiscal agent and counts them for enrollment. Based on the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s2026 MPS Budget Brief, the math is undeniable:
- Core State & Local Revenue: MPS receives $16,774 per pupil.
- The Charter Payment: MPS passes along a contracted rate of $12,369 per pupil, as documented in the DPI 2025-26 Independent Charter Payment Letter.
- The “Retention”: MPS keeps $4,405 per pupil.
This $4,405 is the district’s most efficient revenue stream, supporting central office services and overhead without MPS having to manage a single classroom. Yet, the Board is alienating the very schools that generate this surplus.