City Forward Collective

06/18/2026

MPS's approved budget still projects a structural deficit reaching $63.7 million by 2029, driven in part by revenue lost when MPS forced out nine public charter schools, finds a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report.

Milwaukee Public Schools has proposed a 2027 budget that would tackle some immediate challenges and balance its books for now. But it would still leave the district facing an ominous […]

06/18/2026

New NAEP long-term trend scores show 9-year-olds nearly back to pre-pandemic levels in reading and math, while 13-year-olds are still struggling, with reading performance essentially flat compared to 50 years ago, reports Lily Altavena Chalkbeat

New NAEP scores reveal a telling divide between younger and older students when it comes to reading and math.

06/17/2026

31 states have opted into the federal school choice tax credit. Wisconsin has not. Jorge Elorza writes in The Hill that Democrats leaving education dollars on the table are making the same mistake they once rightly criticized Republicans for on Medicaid.

Swing voters and communities of color are increasingly open to alternatives the party refuses to offer.

06/17/2026

New Treasury Department rules previewed last week in Chalkbeat by Erica Meltzer show that public schools will be able to access dollars from the school choice tax credit--so why is Gov. Evers still against it?

Many Democratic governors have been waiting to see the rules before opting into a major federal school choice expansion. Will they like what they see?

06/17/2026

Dem candidate Missy Hughes has committed to opting Wisconsin into the federal school choice tax credit, joining Republican Tom Tiffany. Urban Milwaukee CFC polling shows Wisconsin voters support the credit 2 to 1.

Following The Failure Of The Budget Surplus Deal That Would Have Provided Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars To Wisconsin Schools, Missy Hughes Has Pledged As Governor To Opt Into The Federal Scholarship

06/16/2026

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has pledged to "responsibly sunset" Wisconsin's voucher program, but he has no plan for the 1 in 4 Milwaukee students who would be forced back into one of the nation's most academically distressed districts.

Mandela Barnes is running for Governor of Wisconsin to lower costs, keep communities safe, and get things done the Wisconsin Way. Join the official campaign by visiting our website.

06/16/2026

DPI now faces a lawsuit alleging it violated open meetings law when it secretly lowered academic standards at a Wisconsin Dells resort in 2024, requiring participants to sign NDAs, reports Evan Casey for WPR

A new lawsuit from the conservative Institute for Reforming Government alleges the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction violated open meetings law in 2024.

06/16/2026

Milwaukee's cross-sector Reading Coalition spent a year building a plan to train K-3 teachers in the Science of Reading, only to have DPI reverse course and block the funding, reports Corrinne Hess for WPR.

The Milwaukee Reading Coalition claims the DPI indicated there was a pathway to obtain funding for training educators, but abruptly changed course. DPI says it is following the law.

06/15/2026

In the latest MKE Edu News Brief:
-How did DPI gaslight the MKE Reading Coalition?
-Why is DPI blocking transparency about lowering standards and student achievement?
-How can a new federal tax credit help all schools?
-Why are schools in rural WI closing?

and more https://cfcmke.substack.com/p/your-mke-edu-news-brief-06122026

06/12/2026

In today's new MKE Edu News Brief:
-DPI blocking literacy efforts, higher standards, and transparency
-Dem governor candidates propose end to choice
-Tax credit can help all schools
and more.

https://cfcmke.substack.com/p/your-mke-edu-news-brief-06122026