New report cards show widening gaps: 90% of charter students attend schools meeting expectations, compared to just half of MPS students.
Milwaukee, WI — City Forward Collective (CFC) has released its annual analysis of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) 2024–25 School and District Report Cards, highlighting both areas of improvement and continued concern for Milwaukee students and families.
While the state’s accountability system remains flawed and often difficult to interpret, CFC’s independent analysis reveals that Milwaukee’s overall school quality remains stagnant, with troubling equity gaps and some promising bright spots in public charter and private sectors.
Key Findings:
- 65% of Black students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) are enrolled in schools that do not meet expectations.
- Zero public charter schools in Milwaukee received a failing one-star rating.
- 90.5% of public charter school students now attend schools that meet or exceed expectations, up nearly 10 points from last year.
- 83.5% of private school students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program are enrolled in schools meeting expectations, also showing notable growth.
- Overall, only 65% of all Milwaukee students are in schools rated three stars or better—unchanged from last year.
“These report cards tell us two things simultaneously. First, there are real bright spots—particularly in how public charter schools and many private schools are serving Milwaukee students. Second, we have a long way to go, especially for the most vulnerable students in our city.
But we can only act on what we can see clearly. And right now, DPI’s decisions have made it harder to trust what we’re seeing. Families deserve better. Students deserve better. Milwaukee deserves an accountability system that’s timely, accessible, accurate, and honest about where we stand and what our kids need,” said Colleston Morgan Jr., Executive Director of City Forward Collective.
Read Colleston’s full reflections in this week’s edition of Colleston’s Corner.
