SB 177

Effective July 1, 2013, this bill dissolves the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)

and creates in its place eight Milwaukee public school districts. Each new school

district must operate grades kindergarten to 12. Each new school board must consist

of seven members elected at large for three-year terms. The initial election of school

board members occurs at the 2013 spring election.

The bill creates a Milwaukee Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation

Commission (commission) consisting of the state superintendent of public

instruction and two individuals appointed by the governor.

The commission must determine the boundaries of the new school districts and,

by July 1, 2011, submit to the legislature recommended changes to the statutes

necessary to organize and operate the eight new school districts. The recommended

legislation must do all of the following:

1. Transfer school buildings from the city of Milwaukee to one of the Milwaukee

public school districts.

2. Address the taxing and borrowing authority of each Milwaukee public school

district.

3. Ensure that employees of MPS prior to its dissolution are employed by one

of the Milwaukee public school districts after the dissolution of MPS.

4. Address the rights of MPS employees under retirement, social security,

group insurance and fringe benefit programs, and collective bargaining agreements

upon the dissolution of MPS.

5. Provide for the continuation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program,

under which an eligible pupil who resides in the city of Milwaukee may attend a

private school at state expense under certain conditions, in each of the eight new

Milwaukee public school districts.

The bill directs the Department of Public Instruction to provide staff support

to the commission and to assist each school district created under the bill.