What to know about MPS Superintendent Keith Posley and why he could be fired

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Keith Posley could be fired, or face other disciplinary action, at a school board meeting Monday night.

Some community members have called for Posley to resign, or for the school board to fire him, after news broke last week that the district has failed to submit financial reports to the state, jeopardizing its funding.

The district's Head Start funding was also suspended last month after federal officials said they discovered incidents of maltreatment, physical abuse, verbal abuse and lack of supervision in the district's programs.

Here's what to know about what could happen at Monday's school boarding meeting, why the district is in trouble with the state and federal government, and Posley's role as superintendent:

What is on the Milwaukee School Board meeting agenda Monday night?

According to a meeting notice, the school board will meet Monday night at 5:30 p.m. at MPS' Central Office and streamed online. Board members could discuss Posley's employment in a closed-door meeting, and possibly return to a public meeting to take action.

More: Milwaukee School Board could fire superintendent Keith Posley on Monday

At the meeting, board members may consider "dismissal, demotion, licensing or discipline" of the superintendent. They may also discuss Posley's compensation and performance evaluation data, and confer with legal counsel, according to the meeting notice.

Milwaukee School Board members already convened two closed-door meetings to discuss Posley's employment last Tuesday and Thursday. They didn't share developments from those meetings.

The meeting will also include a public hearing on the district's budget, after the board delayed a vote on the 2024-25 proposed budget — which would cut nearly 300 staff positions — to get more information about the district's finances.

Board members also plan to announce the hiring of an outside financial consultant that will help the district get its financial reports in order, a step recommended by the state Department of Public Instruction.

More: What to know about MPS budget cuts ahead of possible vote this week

Why is MPS in trouble with the state?

State education officials are threatening to suspend funding after the district failed to submit required financial reports, some of which were due more than eight months ago.

To avoid the suspension, the district must submit a corrective action plan to complete missing reports and meet future deadlines.

MPS' failure to provide financial data could impact every school district in the state, DPI said. The state needs the information from MPS in order to estimate, by July 1, the amount of state funding that will go to each district for the 2024-25 school year.

In addition to the late financial reports, DPI has said that MPS made errors in its reported costs for the 2022-23 school year, which could result in a "significant reduction" in state aid for the 2024-25 school year.

If state aid is reduced, the district could maintain its total revenue by relying more heavily on local property taxes, which could result in a tax hike, according to Rob Henken, president of the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, previously the state superintendent, said he was waiting for more information before judging whether Posley should lose his job. He also said the loss of Head Start funding "doesn't look good."

Why is MPS in trouble with the federal government?

The district lost that federal Head Start funding for the end of last month after the federal Administration for Children and Families found deficiencies in three areas: appropriate supervision, correction of safety problems and proper training for staff.

That suspension of funding could continue if the federal agency finds MPS hasn't corrected its problems. District officials said they are working to "correct issues identified" and will use MPS funds to sustain the program during the loss of federal dollars.

The district has applied for another five-year grant and expects a decision in the coming weeks. The district's budget plans show MPS is expecting to get about $10.5 million in Head Start funding for the next school year.

Head Start is a free, federally funded preschool program that also offers social services. MPS operates 37 Head Start sites with full-day K3 and K4 programs.

Who is Keith Posley, and how long has he been superintendent?

Posley has been the superintendent of the state's largest school district for six years. He started as the interim superintendent in 2018, replacing Darienne Driver.

Posley worked in district administration since 2003 before becoming superintendent, most recently as the district's chief school administration officer, according to his bio.

He began his career as an elementary school teacher at Benjamin Franklin School in 1990, and later held principal roles in elementary schools. He was named as an exemplary principal by former President George W. Bush.

Posley is originally from Mississippi and holds degrees from Tougaloo College, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and National Louis University.

Rory Linnane contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about superintendent Keith Posley, issues facing MPS