SB 963

Effective July 1, 2024, this bill dissolves the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)

and creates in its place four to eight city of 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 2024 spring election.

The bill creates a Milwaukee Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation

Commission consisting of the governor, two members appointed by the governor, the

state superintendent of public instruction, the mayor of the city of Milwaukee, and

two members appointed by the mayor. No later than October 1, 2022, the commission

must determine the number of new school districts and the boundaries of those new

school districts and submit to the legislature recommended changes to the statutes

necessary to organize and operate the new school districts. The commission must

recommend legislation to do all of the following:

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

districts.

2. Address the taxing and borrowing authority of each new school district.

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

of the new school districts after the dissolution of MPS.

4. 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.

5. Provide for the continuation of any charter school authorized by MPS.

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

and funding to the commission and to assist each new school district created under

the bill.