1. Milwaukee School District
Tammey Mitchell
SPE 644

2. District Facts
The largest district in Wisconsin and one of the largest public school districts in the United States.
The district served 75,568 students in 154 schools and had 9,636 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions in school year.
Milwaukee Public Schools' offerings include neighborhood schools, specialty schools, and charter schools serving students ages 3 up through 12th grade.
The district has a publicly elected school board and the board appoints a superintendent.
The district is committed to providing quality service, meeting the expectations of the clients they serve.
The district serves a diverse clientele, welcoming all students and preparing them for success in higher education, post-educational opportunities, work, and citizenship.

3. The School District Board of Directors
The board consists has nine members. 
The regular term for each member is four years.
The board members are agents of the state by law.
The board is a policy making body for the school system.
BEYOND THE BOARD ROOM is an initiative of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.
The board’s initiative was created to communicate with there constituents, keep their constituents informed, and a medium for constituent input.

4. Superintendent’s Office
The superintendent is Dr. Darienne Driver who works with the Milwaukee Board of School Directors and district leadership.
The goal is to improve student achievement, wisely use the district resources, engage in effective and efficient operations.
In addition, another goal is developing opportunities to increase parental and community involvement.
The superintendent is committed to improving the academic outcomes of each student in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).
The superintendent’s blog discusses her visits around the city and important information for Milwaukee families.

5. District Indicators Indicator 1 – Graduation
Percent of students with disabilities graduating from high school with a regular diploma
District – 35.95% State – 67.51% Target – At or above 85%
Indicator 2 – Dropout
Percent of students with disabilities dropping out of grades 7-12
District – 6.68% State – 2.24% Target – At or below 1.70%
Indicator 3 – Assessment
A. Annual Measurement Objectives - Not required to report data for this school year..
B. Participation rate for students with disabilities regular or alternate statewide assessment
English Language Arts
3rd grade - District – 97.49% State – 97.37% Target – At or above 95.00%
4th grade - District – 96.61% State – 96.85% Target – At or above 95.00%
5th grade - District – 98.02% State – 97.14% Target – At or above 95.00%

6. District Indicators (continued)
6th grade - District – 97.28% State – 97.21% Target – At or above 95.00%
7th grade - District – 96.01% State – 96.62% Target – At or above 95.00%
8th grade - District – 95.32% State – 95.55% Target – At or above 95.00%
11th grade - District – 76.93% State – 86.64% Target – At or above 95.00%
State Wide English Language Arts
District – 94.67% State – 95.41% Target – At or above 95.00%
Math
3th grade - District – 97.69% State – 97.30% Target – At or above 95.00%
4th grade - District – 96.63% State – 96.76% Target – At or above 95.00%
5th grade - District – 98.12% State – 97.71% Target – At or above 95.00%
6th grade - District – 96.82% State – 97.07% Target – At or above 95.00%
7th grade - District – 96.46% State – 96.46% Target – At or above 95.00%

7. District Indicators (continued)
8th grade - District – 95.77% State – 95.67% Target – At or above 95.00% 11th grade - District – 83.51% State – 92.16% Target – At or above 95.00% Math - All Grades District – 95.49% State – 96.11% Target – At or above 95.00% C. Percentage of students with disabilities who scored at the proficient and advanced levels on regular or alternate statewide assessment. English Language Arts 3rd grade - District – 7.32% State – 19.01% Target – At or above 37.80% 4th grade - District – 5.74% State – 18.00% Target – At or above 37.80% 5th grade - District – 5.43% State – 14.77% Target – At or above 37.80% 6th grade – District – 3.73% State – 12.42% Target – At or above 37.80% 7th grade - District – 7.57% State – 12.51% Target – At or above 37.80%

8. District Indicators (continued)
8th grade - District – 6.67% State – 11.06% Target – At or above 37.80%
11th grade - District – 8.54% State – 11.83% Target – At or above 37.80%
State Wide English Language Arts
District – 6.27% State – 14.29% Target – At or above 37.80%
Math
3rd grade - District – 8.11% State – 24.12% Target – At or above 50.40%
4th grade - District – 5.33% State – 20.66% Target – At or above 50.40%
5th grade - District – 4.20% State – 17.37% Target – At or above 50.40%
6th grade - District – 3.19% State – 13.05% Target – At or above 50.40%
7th grade - District – 2.48% State – 9.86% Target – At or above 50.40%
8th grade - District – 2.67% State – 7.27% Target – At or above 50.40%
11th grade - District – 1.70% State – 6.12% Target – At or above 50.40%

9. District Indicators (continued)
Math – All Grades
District – 4.03% State – 14.20% Target – At or above 50.40%
Indicator 4A – Suspension/Expulsion Discrepancies
Percentage of students with disabilities suspended and expelled greater than 10 days in the school
District – 2.14% State – .57% Target – At or below 1.17%
Indicator 4B - No Data Available
Significant discrepancy, by race and ethnicity, in the rate of suspensions and expulsions of greater than 10 days in a school year for students with IEPs and policies, procedures or practices. 
Indicator 5 – School Age Educational Environment
A. Percent of children with IEPs age 6-21 served inside the regular class 80% or more of the day.
District – 53.55% State – 66.22% Target – At or above 63.60%
B. Percent of children with IEPs aged 6-21 served inside the regular class less than 40% of the day.
District – 20.04% State – 9.16% Target – At or below 9.50%

10. District Indicators (continued)
C. Percent of children with IEPs age 6-21 served inside the regular class 40% or more of the day.
District – 0.79% State – 1.50% Target – At or below 1.40%
Indicator 6 Preschool Educational Environment
A. Percent of children age 3-5 with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education related services in the regular early childhood program.
District – 11.59% State – 35.91% Target – At or above 34.50%
B. Percent of children age 3-5 with IEPs attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility.
District – 35.03% State – 16.75% Target – At or below 20.25%
Indicator 7 Preschool Outcomes
A. Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships)
1. The percent that increased their rate of by the time they turned age 6 or exited the program
District – 77.91% State – 80% .68 Target – At or above 78.90%

11. District Indicators (continued)
2. Percent of children functioning within age expectations in Outcome A. District – 58.31% State – 65.10% Target – At or above 73.50% B. Acquisition and use of knowledge/skills (including early language/communication/literacy) 1. Percent that increased their rate of growth by age 6 or exited the program. District – 84.96% State – 83.87% Target – At or above 80.20% 2. Percent of children who were functioning by age 6 or exited the program. District – 42.57% State – 54.00% Target – At or below 61.40% C. Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. 1. The percent that increased their rate of by the time they turned age 6 or exited the program . District – 84.93% State – 83.07% Target – At or above 79.30%

12. District Indicators (continued)
2. Percent of children who were functioning by age 6 or exited the program.
District – 71.79% State – 74.77% Target – At or above 81.90%
Indicator 8 - Parent Involvement
Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report the schools
facilitated parent involvement to improve services and results for children with disabilities.
Indicator 9 - Disproportionate Representation in Special education and Related Services – No Data
Indicator 10 - Disproportionate Representation in Specific Disability Areas – No Data
Indicator 11 – Timely Evaluations
Percent of children who were evaluated within 60 days of receiving parental consent for initial evaluation. .
District – 98.96% State – 97.72% Target – 100%

13. District Indicators (continued)
Indicator 12 – Early Childhood Transition
Percent of children referred by a birth to three agency prior to age 3, who were found eligible for special education and related services by a local education agency, and who had an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthday.
District – 99.71% State – 99.11% Target – 100%
Indicator 13 – Transition Goals (Age 16)
Invites to IEP for student and any participating agency invited to the IEP. Appropriate measurable goals, transition assessment/services related to the student’s needs.
District – 100% State – 99.83% Target – 100%
Indicator 14 – Post High School Outcomes
Percent of youth who were no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they school, and were:
A. Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.
District – 18.70% State – 31.44% Target – At or above 30.30%

14. District Indicators (continued)
B. Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.
District – 54.78% State – 64.27% Target – At or above 61.50%
C. Enrolled in higher education in some other postsecondary education or training program: or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school.
District – 63.48% State – 81.05% Target – At or above 75.50

15. District Strengths
Students with disabilities that participated in statewide assessment for English Language Arts 3rd-7th grade are above target rate 95%.
Students with disabilities that participated in statewide assessment for Math 3rd-7th grade are above target rate 95%.
Positive social-emotional skills - Preschool students that entered the program and increased their growth by age 6 is above the target rate 78.70%.
Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills - Preschool students that entered below the age expectations and increased their growth by age 6 is above the target rate 79.85%.
Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs - Preschool students that entered below the age expectations and increased their growth by age 6 is above the target rate 78.90%.
Parent Involvement – Students receiving special education services and parents who reported that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities is above target rate 85.50%
School Age Educational Environment - Children with IEPs aged 6 through 21 served in separate schools, residential facilities, or homebound/hospital placements below the target rate 1.40%
Transition goals (Age 16) - Invites to IEP for student ages 16+ and any participating agency invited to the IEP. Appropriate measurable goals, transition assessment/services related to the student’s needs met target rate at 100%

16. District Weaknesses
Graduation Rate - Students with disabilities graduating from high school with a regular diploma are lower than the target rate 85%.
Dropout Rate - Students with disabilities dropping out of grades 7-12 are higher than the target rate 1.70%.
English Language Arts - Students with disabilities that participated on regular or alternate statewide assessment 8th and 11th grade are lower than the target rate 95%.
Math - Students with disabilities that participated on regular or alternate statewide assessment 8th and 11th grade are lower than the target rate 95%.
Reading - Students with disabilities who scored at the proficient and advanced levels on regular or alternate statewide assessment are lower than the target rate 37.80%.
Math - Students with disabilities who scored at the proficient and advanced levels on regular or alternate statewide assessment are lower than the target rate 50.40%.
Suspension/Expulsion - Students with disabilities suspended and expelled greater than 10 days in the school year are lower than the target rate 1.17%
Timely Evaluations - Children who were evaluated within 60 days of receiving parental consent for initial evaluation are lower than the target rate 100%.

17. District Weaknesses (continued)
School Age Educational Environment
Children with IEPs aged 6 through 21 served inside the regular class 80% or more of the day are lower than the target rate 63.60%.
Children with IEPs aged 6 through 21 served inside the regular class less than 40% of the day are higher than the target rate 9.50%.
Preschool Educational Environment - Dropout Rate - Students with disabilities dropping out of grades are higher than the target rate 1.70%.
Children ages 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program are lower than rate 33.50%.
Children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility are higher than target rate 21.25%.
Preschool Outcomes
Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships) - Children who were functioning within age expectations by the time they turned 6 years of age or exited the program are lower than the target rate %.

18. District Weaknesses (continued)
Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication and early literacy) Children who were functioning within age expectations by the time they turned 6 years of age or exited the program are lower than the target rate 61.20%.
Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs - Children who were functioning within age expectations in Outcome C by the time they turned 6 years of age or exited the program are lower than the target rate %.
Early Childhood Transition – Children referred by a Birth to Three agency prior to age 3, who were found eligible for special education and related services by a local education agency, and who had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed and implemented by their third birthday are lower than the target rate 100%.
Post High School Outcomes - Youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school, and were:
Students enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school are lower than target rate
Students enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school are lower than target rate 61.50%.
Students enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school are lower than target rate 75.00%.

19. Summary
As you can see, the district has work to do. When it comes to students with disabilities, the district is failing in many areas. Students’ needs, academic goals and successes should be the priority for every district. The data from DPI states the district has not been able to surpass the target percentages for helping students with disabilities. The district has to find some sort of common ground to meet the needs of their students and families. This district, the schools, administrators, and staff have failed to accomplish those target goals in the school year. The district’s essential job should be to help schools with a vision, build their strengths, provide unconditional support and opportunities to qualified individuals, improve failing schools, and hold administrators accountable.
Many of the students attending the inner city public schools are minority, low income, and poverty stricken. I am not saying that these students can not achieve educational success, but being labeled in these categories is a challenge. How often do we turn on the television or listen to the radio about the crime happening in the communities. Theses negative situations spill into the schools, make it difficult for students to learn and retain the educational material.
Milwaukee was once a thriving city offering families peace, unity, employment and supportive family jobs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee is the 3rd most impoverished city filled with crime, homeless and jobless residents.
How do we as educators help these students and families begin the journey to heal, move past the negativity, and achieve educational success? My answer would be to take it one day at a time, believe that there will be a better tomorrow, and prayer.

20. References Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Public Schools
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
References