Right in the heart of JCI’s corporate headquarters, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there is a disaster much like the Red Plan. Like Savage, Minnesota, Milwaukee built grand new buildings to attract new students. They are so grossly underused that the Mayor wants to take over the school system. Hear that Mayor Ness?
Part One:
Empty promise
Milwaukee Public Schools spent $102 million on a building spree meant to reduce busing by convincing parents to enroll students in bigger, better neighborhood schools. Today, many of those new classrooms go unused.Part Two:
Bad decisions, bad outcomes
With high student test scores, a national reputation and top-notch educators, Clarke Street School provided an ideal setting for the success of the Neighborhood Schools Initiative. But the results didn’t meet Milwaukee Public Schools’ expectations.Part Three:
Buildings rise, test scores fallThe $102 million investment in bricks and mortar did not make the schools better academically. Test scores have fallen sharply at many of the schools that received shiny new classrooms, science labs and libraries.
As disastrous as this is let’s put it in perspective.
Milwaukee gambled $102 million away. They have 87,000 students.
Duluth is gambling $293 million away. We have 10,000 students.
