The Sconi

Gov. Tony Evers, a former state Superintendent of Public Instruction, has a unique opportunity given his skill set to take charge of the Milwaukee Public Schools, a former MPS superintendent said.

Bill Andrekopoulos, MPS superintendent for eight years until his retirement in 2010 and an educator in the district for 38 years, stated that unless the school district yields completely to outside reform, issues such as financial mismanagement and low student performance would persist.

Andrekopoulos proposed that Governor Evers appoint a Special Master to create an advisory panel of about seven members to manage MPS for three to five years. This panel would then determine a new structure for the district, potentially transferring responsibility to the mayor of Milwaukee who could appoint community stakeholder board members.

“One of the things that has never been disrupted in at least 40 years is the governance of MPS, and it’s time to be disrupted for the benefit of the kids and the community,” Andrekopoulos told the Badger Institute. “The governor, legislative leaders, mayor, Common Council president and MMAC have an opportunity to make significant changes to the governance structure of MPS. It’s time for a higher authority to intervene.”

Following MPS Superintendent Keith Posley's resignation—set with a $300,000 annual salary ending in June and accompanied by a $160,000 severance—Andrekopoulos questioned if anyone would finally heed those critical voices from Monday night's Milwaukee Public Schools Board hearing.

Nearly everyone calling for Posley’s termination also demanded extensive reforms. Similar sentiments were expressed during Monday night’s meeting at MPS Central Services where public dissatisfaction was evident.

Andrekopoulos’ reform plan is unprecedented in Wisconsin and likely faces political resistance from powerful local education players like the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association.

District leadership must account for events leading up to Posley's pressured resignation. Chief among concerns is why district administrators were slow in addressing fundamental funding issues. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services suspended MPS' Head Start program due to long-standing deficiencies cited more than a year ago by federal officials.

The Administration for Children and Families highlighted instances of child abuse within Head Start programs on April 26. Without remediation efforts, approximately $10.5 million in funding might be withheld next year.

“As superintendent, I went through an (Head Start) audit,” Andrekopoulos said. “It’s shocking when Head Start provides a template for remediation that it could be ignored.”

Around mid-May, Posley disclosed John Johnson's letter from DPI requesting six audits and reports overdue by more than eight months from 2023 through 2025.

The letter mentioned "a pattern of submitting incomplete data" warning non-compliance could lead DPI withholding special education services payment estimated at least $15 million in June—a risk impacting state general aid payments worth tens of millions according to DPI spokespersons.

Some board members claimed ignorance regarding these revelations while requests from key figures including Posley were unaddressed by Badger Institute inquiries.

MPS board member Darryl Jackson admitted being "in dark about quite bit," though he attended December meetings discussing fiscal irregularities presented by CFO Martha Kreitzman following Baker Tilly auditors' report citing material weaknesses requiring rectification measures which included hiring contractors Robert Half & Protiviti aimed towards departmental reorganization ensuring compliance deadlines met henceforth reported optimistically yet subsequently missing crucial public disclosures especially involving DPI interactions preceding contentious $252 million referendum narrowly passed April despite known impending risks divulged post-facto sparking criticism notably from Assembly Finance Committee co-chair Mark Born suggesting potential foot-dragging allegations against supportive Gov.Evers alongside Superintendent Jill Underly perceived favoring referendum outcomes albeit defended ambiguously upon media probes emphasizing transparency adherence traditionally characterizing 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