WPR - District 91��Ƭistration

Wisconsin superintendent says schools will not comply with federal request to eliminate DEI programs

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:18:07 +0000

Wisconsin school districts won’t comply with a directive from the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs until districts have more information.

On Wednesday, state Superintendent Jill Underly asked the U.S. Department of Education for clarification on both the intent and legality of an April 3 directive that schools sign a letter acknowledging they’re following the government’s interpretation of civil rights laws. Schools were given 10 days to do so, or be at risk of losing Title I funding.

This school year, Wisconsin received about $216 million in Title I funds. About $82 million of that money went to Milwaukee Public Schools. Underly said the request from the Department of Education potentially violates required procedural steps, is unnecessarily redundant and appears designed to intimidate school districts by threatening to withhold critical education funding.

Wisconsin school board races attract attention from national conservative groups

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:42:09 +0000

For decades, school board races were largely ignored, rarely contested contests between candidates promoted by teachers unions and local business groups.

But high-profile controversies including vaccine mandates, LGBTQ+ rights and teaching about race and American history have led to big gains for Republicans on Wisconsin’s school boards.

National political groups have taken notice—and don’t want to lose that momentum.

With housing in short supply, Wisconsin communities, developers look to shuttered schools

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:21:16 +0000

As communities around Wisconsin look for solutions to housing shortages, some developers are transforming shuttered schools into apartments.
Since 2017, communities and developers have sought state grants or tax credits to redevelop about 20 former school buildings. Others have used a mix of financing to redevelop vacant schools statewide.

In the Columbia County village of Randolph, a former school building will become 31 units of market rate and affordable apartments. The community of nearly 1,800 residents is receiving a $250,000 grant for the project from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, or WEDC.