Walker on MPS

In TV interview, governor says state funding isn’t issue, leaves open possibility of breaking up district

The governor says it might be time to ‘shake things up’ in the Milwaukee school system.

As Milwaukee Public Schools are in the midst of a contentious budget battle, Gov. Scott Walker says it might be time to “shake things up” in the district.

Walker also left open the possibility of breaking up the district into smaller sections during an interview Sunday on “Up Front with Mike Gousha,” which aired on WISN-TV (Channel 12). His remarks came after Gousha asked if the state has a responsibility to step in with MPS.

Walker first cited the wide power given to the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to address failing schools. The current superintendent, Tony Evers, is among the large group of Democrats running against Walker, a Republican.

“If the superintendent’s not willing to do that, then I think there are probably other things we’ve got to look at,” Walker said. “Maybe we shake things up a little bit.”

Evers defended his record Sunday afternoon, saying he had worked with teachers and school officials in Milwaukee, which has had improvements in graduation rates, summer school and college scholarships.

“Textbook Scott Walker — blaming others for his own mismanagement,” Evers said in a statement, adding: “MPS faces real challenges, and Milwaukee kids need a governor that will help the district grow and evolve, not a dictator that wants to tear it down.”

Gousha also asked Walker about concerns over the district’s finances. MPS is working to close what was initially projected as a $38.7 million gap between projected revenue and expenditures.

The $1.17 billion proposed budget, $11 million less than this year, includes

across-the-board, cost-of-living raises and maintains most benefits.

But the proposed budget does not include the substitute health care coverage and other raises sought by the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association — and has prompted the union to call for “bold action” and one substitute teacher to embark on a hunger strike.

Walker said MPS got additional money for every student, like other districts across the state, and received more funding for summer school.

“Funding from the state is not the issue,” he said.

“You believe it is adequate?” Gousha asked.

“They have the ability to do any number of things, just like school districts do all across the state,” Walker said. “If they don’t have a board and leadership willing to do those things, that’s not something the state’s responsible for, it’s theirs.”

“The key question is, maybe we need to do something more to change,” he said. “You know, in the past there’s been talk about changing boundaries, splitting up into smaller pieces, those are things that I think realistically, we have to look at in the future.”

Walker noted other sweeping changes in other states have included turning over large, urban school districts to local mayors, but said when it was proposed about a decade ago, that measure did not get support.

“So I think you’ve got to look at some other option to shake things up,” he said.

Walker’s interview also was noticed by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mahlon Mitchell, who slammed Walker’s comments.

“He continues to govern with policies that defy history and logic,” Mitchell said in a news release. “State takeover of school districts isn’t about improving student outcomes; it’s about money, power and control.”