Milwaukee Public Schools’ superintendent has resigned, with Wisconsin’s largest school district at risk of losing millions of dollars in state funding after failing to submit required financial reports.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools’ superintendent resigned Tuesday, with Wisconsin’s largest school district at risk of losing millions of dollars in state funding after failing to submit required financial reports to the state.
Keith Posley, a former teacher who had been superintendent since 2018, resigned hours after a public hearing in which more than 100 parents, school district staff and community members called for his ouster, the radio reported Wisconsin Public Service.
In addition to the potential loss of millions of state dollars due to missed reporting deadlines, millions of dollars in federal funding are also being withheld from the district’s Head Start program after officials found abuse and a lack of supervision in Milwaukee Public Schools programs.
Federal officials cited “deficiencies,” such as the failure to supervise students in the early education and nutrition program for low-income children.
The district received $14 million from the federal Head Start program in the most recent school year, according to district budget documents.
The district also hired Todd Gray, the former Waukesha School District superintendent and a financial consultant who helped the Glendale-River Hills School District resolve a financial problem. He will receive $48,000 to help the district through the end of July.
Milwaukee is the state’s largest school district, with approximately 68,000 students.
“We want you to leave. “No more playing games,” resident Elizabeth Brown said at Monday’s meeting calling for Posley’s removal.
The complaints went beyond the current crisis, questioning board and administration decisions regarding spending and staffing, communication with families and poor student academic performance.
The school board accepted Posley’s resignation around 2 a.m. Tuesday after a closed session that began around 8 p.m. Monday.
Concerns arose after the state Department of Public Instruction released a letter May 24 showing the district had failed to provide “key financial data” despite numerous meetings with the state.
The delay in sending documents is preventing public education officials from calculating aid estimates for other public school districts for the upcoming school year.
Governor. Tony Evers, the state’s former superintendent of education, was asked last week about the district’s problems.
“Am I worried? Hell, yes,” Evers said. “Frankly, it doesn’t look good.”