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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
MPS financial reports: deadline past, state funding at risk
The Brief Milwaukee Public Schools had a Friday, May 30 deadline to turn in financial reports to the state. Last year, the state held back $16.6 million when the 2023 reports were tardy. Millions of dollars for the school district could be on the line. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools had a Friday, May 30 deadline to turn in financial reports to the state. Millions of dollars for the school district could be on the line. The deadline has passed, but now neither MPS nor the state are talking. What we know MPS' 2024 audited financial report was originally due in December. MPS missed that. In January, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction gave MPS an extension. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android But then, in May, it gave two hard deadlines: May 16 to turn in the 2024 annual report – which it missed – and May 30, to turn in the audited financial statements. What they're saying "Families, residents, taxpayers in the city of Milwaukee, across the state of Wisconsin, quite frankly, deserve more responsible stewardship," said Colleston Morgan, Jr., City Forward Collective leader. "We are now more than a year into this financial fiasco at Milwaukee Public Schools. And we're yet again failing to meet deadlines, putting tens of millions of dollars more in funding at risk." The superintendent answered questions on Wednesday. "The team is continuing to work around the clock to be able to meet the timeframe that was laid out by the state, so we just continue to plug away," Dr. Brenda Cassellius said. And Thursday: "We're still cautiously optimistic, but we'll have more for you tomorrow," she said. That deadline passed. "We expect to be able to share more information next week," an MPS spokesperson said. Dig deeper Now, on Saturday, May 31, the parking lot at MPS is fairly empty, except for a few cars. It is unknown if it was people working inside, or people playing in the next-door park. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News If MPS missed the Friday deadline, the state hasn't said how much MPS could lose. But, last year, it held back $16.6 million when the 2023 reports were tardy. The state still holds that money. Last year, Gov. Tony Evers ordered an audit of MPS. In February, it found the computer systems are partially to blame, with finance systems different from hr and payroll, which slows things down. It also found DPI and MPS' financial reporting software don't communicate well with each other – again causing complications and delays. The Source The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MPS misses financial reporting deadlines again, closing some gaps
The Brief Milwaukee Public School continues to miss its financial reporting deadlines, but is making some progress. Those deadlines for reports and audited numbers kept getting pushed back. MPS says it has hired financial staff, including both a chief financial officer and a comptroller to help address the situation, and is working with DPI. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools misses its deadlines for financial reporting, yet again. Some of the paperwork is more than a year late, and that delay is leading to new delays. It involves your tax money and state oversight. Wisconsin requires districts to turn in financial documents and audited numbers. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Milwaukee has missed deadline after deadline. But it's also closing some gaps. Now in 2025, Milwaukee Public Schools is more than a year late turning in 2023 financial documents to the state. "Families and taxpayers of Milwaukee deserve better," said Colleston Morgan, Jr. from City Forward Collective. "This is now a year plus into this financial mess. They've made some progress, but there's still a lot more work to be done. And I think we all just want to know when is MPS going to get its act together and steward the billion dollars in taxpayer resources that they've been given?" The backstory In May 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction publicly revealed that MPS send it a backlog of financial documents. There was a lot of fallout, including MPS Superintendent Keith Posley's resignation, heated public meetings, threats of millions of dollars of aid being withheld, and the state ordering an audit. Then, in June, MPS agreed to a corrective action plan with DPI. It set due dates for lots of things like the 2023 annual report. It was due in September 2023. "No money was missing or misspent – instead the issues were a combination of software, staffing and training issues," said MPS Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan in October. The corrective action plan between DPI and MPS set the new date of Sep. 30, 2024. Back in October, Galvan said all 2023 financial data should be turned in by Thanksgiving 2024. "They repeatedly indicated to us under intense and escalating questioning that they would be able to submit their fiscal 23 reports this year," State Superintendent Jill Underly said back in October. But the dates in the new Corrective Action Plan 2 don't mention the 2024 due date. Instead, it reveals a new date of Jan. 31, 2025. The district is getting up to speed. It has hired financial staff, including both a chief financial officer and a comptroller. The new plan shows the district finished its 2023 audit this January, and the gap is closing. The fiscal year 2024 audit was due in December. The new plan shows it's now due in May. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android What's next FOX6 asked for an interview with MPS. The school board is meeting Thursday, Jan. 30, to talk about the new corrective plan. A DPI spokesman tells FOX6 this new plan is a step forward, and the department is hopeful it will put MPS on a solid path moving forward. FOX6 was also told that the district and the state have been meeting several times a week for months. The Source FOX6 produced this story, and has previously reported on the financial reporting situation at Milwaukee Public Schools.
