5 days ago
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.
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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.
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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.
