Fitzgerald Threatens Funding Cuts To Milwaukee Schools Over Stalled Turnaround Plan

The Republican leader of the State Senate says the Legislature may cut funding for Milwaukee Public Schools after leaders there derailed a plan to restructure the district.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald made his comments the day after Demond Means resigned from his post as the head of a state-mandated Milwaukee school turnaround district. Republicans created the district in last year’s state budget, billing it as a reform effort for struggling schools in the city. MPS leadership viewed it as a takeover and rejected an invitation to partner with Means.

Speaking to WISN TV’s Mike Gousha in Milwaukee, Fitzgerald said the move angered fellow legislative Republicans.

“If you keep going back to the state Legislature and your response to some type of reform at MPS is that we don’t want to participate, it once again sets the table for the state Legislature taking even more aggressive moves in dealing with MPS,” Fitzgerald said. “Unfortunately I think the only hammer is, listen, if you’re not going to participate, if you’re going to work around the law and we’re going to end up in court over this thing, then you’re probably going to see some significant reduction in revenue for MPS schools.”

Fitzgerald said he wouldn’t take anything off the table when it comes to dealing with MPS.