On Monday,local legislators and community stakeholders released the overview of theiralternative MPS reform plan, dubbed the Reforming and Advancing Children’sEducation (RACE) for Success Act.
Sponsored byRep. Tamara Grigsby and Sen. Spencer Coggs, the bill would allow thedemocratically elected MPS board to select the superintendent, while allowingthe mayor some input on MPS policy, budget and superintendent selection. (See“Compare the MPS Reform Bills” chart for details.)
Grigsby toldthe Shepherd that the RACE forSuccess Act would create more community buy-in than the mayor-led proposal.That support, she said, was critical for securing federal “Race to the Top”dollars as well as votes in the state Legislature.
MovingForward
Gov. JimDoyle may call a special session of the Legislature to focus on MPS reform. Thegovernor has the authority to call a special session devoted to a specifictopic, but the Legislature is not required to act on a bill favored by thegovernor. It may take up a bill opposed by the governor, or not actmeaningfully at all.
Doyle’spreferred billthe Milwaukee TEACH Act, whose main sponsors are Sen. LenaTaylor, Sen. Tim Carpenter, Sen. Jeff Plale, Rep. Pedro Colon and Rep. JasonFieldsis opposed by Rep. Annette Polly Williams, who chairs the Assembly’sEducation Reform Committee. Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker has shown littleenthusiasm for the Doyle-backed plan, so it likely will not be fast-tracked inthe Senate.
On Monday,Williams predicted that Doyle would not call a special session because “hedoesn’t have the votes,” while the RACE for Success Act would attract moresupport among legislators.
Grigsby saidthat if a special session is called, then both bills should be debated in theLegislature and public hearings should be held in Milwaukee.
MilwaukeeMayor Tom Barrettwho has pushed for mayoral control of MPScriticized Grigsbyand Coggs’ bill, stating that it “does not offerthe clear and direct lines of accountability that I have been advocating.”
At a Monday pressconference, Coggs chided Barrett, saying that the RACE for Success Act would“empower the board to assist him” in making sure that schools and students aretaken care of while Barrett is working as mayor and running for governor.
“He’s going to have hishands full,” Coggs said.
Themayor-led MPS proposal is getting push-back in the community as well.
On Saturday,an estimated 100 members of the Coalition to Stop the MPS Takeover protestedoutside of Taylor’shome. The coalitionmade up of 28 local organizations, including the NAACPMilwaukee Branch, Educators’ Network for Social Justice, 9to5 Milwaukee,Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Voces de la Frontera, members of the MPS board andlabor unionsplans to protest in front of Colon’shome on Nov. 21.
Taylor released a statement saying that her resolve“has not diminished” because of the protesters.
