The Department of Public Instruction will continue withholding aid from Milwaukee Public Schools after the state’s largest district missed two deadlines last month to file financial data with the agency.
DPI Deputy State Superintendent Tom McCarthy said the agency will continue to withhold $16.6 million from the prior year and begin withholding new aid for this year. He said a formal notice with more information will be sent to the district later this week. It will include steps MPS can take to recover the funds.
“Withholding funding is a last resort and comes after countless hours spent supporting MPS,” McCarthy said. “We’ve seen real progress in recent months under the leadership of Dr. Brenda Cassellius, and we recognize and appreciate the hard work that has gone into those efforts. Meeting key deadlines is critical to ensure the DPI can accurately and efficiently calculate general aid estimates for school districts across Wisconsin.”
Cassellius became superintendent of MPS in March. The district didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.
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The district’s failure to file required financial reports with the state came to light more than a year ago, prompting DPI to begin withholding the $16.6 million for failure to submit documents for 2023. The additional withholding DPI announced yesterday was for failing to submit fiscal year 2023-24 financials.
