Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is planning to hire auditors to investigate Milwaukee Public Schools, which has been met with disappointment from Republican lawmakers.
In a recent statement, Evers shared that an independent audit of MPS’ financial and operational challenges is set to move forward.
In a statement, Evers emphasized the importance of both MPS and the wider Milwaukee community coming together to support any initiatives aimed at steering the district back on course. He acknowledged the widespread endorsement of his proposal to carry out two extra audits of MPS and announced that his administration would be moving ahead with the hiring of independent auditors. These auditors will possess the requisite expertise in the education sector to perform the audits thoughtfully and effectively.
According to Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, the governor is failing to seize the chance to enact meaningful changes in Wisconsin’s biggest school district. As the leading Republican in the state Senate, LeMahieu believes that the governor is not making the most of this opportunity for reform.
LeMahieu believes that the failure of Milwaukee Public Schools has far-reaching consequences for not only Milwaukee but the entire state of Wisconsin. He asserts that the people of Wisconsin deserve complete transparency and accountability, which cannot be achieved through a private audit commissioned by a former DPI superintendent who was involved in the creation of this catastrophic situation. LeMahieu expresses disappointment with Governor Evers’ decision to proceed with an external audit and urges his administration to exercise caution in selecting an auditor with no ulterior motives or conflicts of interest.
According to reports, LeMahieu urged the governor to employ the Legislative Audit Bureau for the audit. However, the governor stated that his independent auditors have the support of local leaders in Milwaukee, as well as members of the city’s school board.
According to the governor, it is crucial to have independent auditors who possess relevant qualifications and expertise in auditing school districts and instruction, as well as having a significant background and experience in school and classroom settings. This is essential as it helps to identify problems that could inform conversations about potential solutions. It is important to note that not all auditors have the same level of qualifications and expertise, making it critical to have auditors who are well-equipped to conduct these audits independently.
In the near future, auditors will be sought by the governor, as stated by him. However, he did not provide any specific timeline for the process.
