Closing the Achievement Gap

Education is seen as a way to gain access to a better life, but the glaring disparities between black and white students in our city is nowhere more visible than in the fact that Wisconsin has the largest achievement gap between black and white students in the country, according to a 2015 report by UCLA.

From forced busing to charter schools, and from school choice to vouchers, Milwaukee has led the nation in piloting programs designed to provide quality educational outcomes to students and eliminate glaring achievement disparities. Local author and UW-Milwaukee graduate James K. Nelson traces the origins of these modern education movements in his new book Educating Milwaukee: How One City’s History of Segregation and Struggle Shaped Its Schools. Tracing the city’s education policies from “no choice” to “school choice,” Nelson uncovers both the enduring vision and huge stumbling blocks that have followed modern school reform in its pursuit of equity and excellence.

Nelson holds a doctorate degree in urban history and currently teaches high school social studies at Golda Meir School, a public magnet school in Milwaukee. Nelson will speak at Boswell Book Co. at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20.

BOOK HAPPENING:

Greil Marcus, Jon Langford, Sally Timms

8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20

Alverno College, Wehr Hall

4100 W. Morgan Ave.

What rock ’n’ roll songs would make your personal top 10 list? Long-time music critic and historian Greil Marcus has compiled a philosophizing chronicle of some of the greatest—and at times most unexpected— rock ’n’ roll recordings from 1956 to 2008 in his newest book The History of Rock and Roll in 10 Songs. As part of an Alverno Presents event, Marcus will be joined on stage at Alverno College by The Mekons drummer Jon Langford and English-born bandmate Sally Timms. For tickets, call 414-382-6044 or visit alvernopresents.alverno.edu.