Charter School Review Committee Meeting – October 22, 2026

The Charter School Review Committee met virtually (5:03 PM) to review annual performance reports for five Milwaukee charter schools. Chair Kevin Ingram opened by sharing insights from a recent meeting with Wisconsin DPI, highlighting the agency’s “Portrait of a Graduate” initiative and posing three reflective questions about school vision, professional resources, and graduate readiness. Dr. Baylor then presented each school’s data (demographics, academic outcomes, culture/climate survey results) followed by committee discussion. The committee voted on each school’s monitoring recommendation.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of March 26, 2026 – Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

1. Darrell Lynn Hines College Preparatory Academy of Excellence (DLHA)

• Enrollment: 209 students; 97.1% free/reduced lunch; 20% special education.
• Attendance: 87.7% (K‑5), 86.2% (6‑8).
• Licensure: Partially met – one expired teacher license, one administrator lacking appropriate licensure (position no longer requires it). Current teachers licensed; one teacher on a license-with-stipulations pending DPI review.
• Academic Growth (local measures): reading 71% (elem.), 66% (middle); math 62% (elem.), 71% (middle); writing 77% (elem.), 88% (middle); 100% of IEP students met at least one goal.
• Forward Exam Proficiency: 3‑5 ELA 14.1%, math 6.3%; 6‑8 ELA 14.1%, math 15.6%.
• Year‑to‑year Progress: ELA 38.2%, math 30.9%.
• Contract Compliance: Progress target of 35% was not met in math (29%); overall 37% of students in developing/approaching range made progress.
• Scorecard: Elementary 65.3%, Middle 63.3%, Weighted 64.7%.
• Culture/Climate: Improved in all categories except ambitious instruction (flat). Gaps in facility conditions, middle‑school academic culture, discipline consistency.
• Improvement Goals: Restorative practices, academic‑culture norms for middle school, structured family engagement.
• Recommendation: Five‑year contract renewal with continued annual monitoring, emphasis on reading and math.
• Committee Questions: Bill Christianson asked about strengthening academic culture; Principal Dr. Fletcher described tiered instruction and social‑emotional learning. Dr. Brookshire inquired about special education services; Dr. Fletcher explained push‑in/pull‑out models. Chair followed up on licensure status.
• Vote: Motion carried unanimously.

2. Downtown Montessori Academy (DMA)

• Enrollment: 232 students; 14.7% free/reduced lunch; 14.5% special education.
• Attendance: 94.5% (K‑5), 95% (6‑8).
• Licensure: All teachers appropriately licensed.
• Academic Growth: reading 86% (elem.), 69% (middle); math 75% (elem.), 74% (middle); writing 78% (elem.), 81% (middle); 86% of IEP students met at least one goal.
• Forward Exam Proficiency: 3‑5 ELA 69.8%, math 33.3%; 6‑8 ELA 90.5%, math 73.8%.
• Year‑to‑year Progress: ELA 89.6%, math 67.5%.
• Contract Compliance: ELA 71.4%, math 54.3% met (target ≥35%).
• Scorecard: Elementary 80.4%, Middle 83.6%, Weighted 81%.
• Culture/Climate: Overall 75.8% (proficient), but declines in supportive environment (−20), collaborative teachers (−15), effective leaders (−29), involved families (−5.6). Staff reported limited PD and unclear career pathways.
• Improvement Goals: Structured professional development, establish parent advisory committee with board seat (already completed), strengthen math instruction in grades 1‑5.
• Recommendation: Continue annual monitoring with emphasis on math.
• Committee Questions: Bill Christianson asked about the gap between high academics and lower climate scores. Interim Principal Dawn Zant and board member Lauren Taylor cited leadership transitions; Dawn listed measures including shared‑decision‑making teams and increased visibility. Chair commended the school for maintaining certified staff through transition and for having a parent on the board.
• Vote: Motion carried unanimously.

3. Escuela Verde (EV)

• Enrollment: 111 students; 100% free/reduced lunch; 24% special education; 30.6% ESL.
• Licensure: All teachers appropriately licensed.
• Academic Growth (STAR): Reading growth percentages presented inconsistently (40% and 80% of students met goal in different parts of the presentation); math growth reported at 55%.
• Pre‑ACT Secure (9‑10): English 18.6% proficient, math 0% proficient.
• Four‑Year Graduation Rate (2024‑25): 73.1%; 93.3% post‑secondary acceptance; $400,000+ in scholarships.
• ACT Progress (11th graders): 64.5% made progress over pre‑ACT.
• Contract Compliance: 10th grade improvement 40% (target 50%); 11th grade 64.5%.
• Scorecard: 72.8% (single grade‑band).
• Culture/Climate: Declines from previous cycle; supportive environment and ambitious instruction flagged. Staff reported isolation, fragmented curriculum.
• Improvement Goals: Structured onboarding/mentorship for new teachers, strengthen instructional rigor, improve student voice on policies.
• Recommendation: Continue annual monitoring with emphasis on reading and math.
• Committee Questions: Bill Christianson asked about downward trends and instructional guidance. School representatives acknowledged turnover and the challenge of project‑based learning; they have begun more regular teacher meetings. Chair encouraged the school to embrace the feedback and use it to fuel innovation.
• Vote: Motion by Bill Christianson, second by Dr. Davis; carried unanimously.

4. Milwaukee Academy of Science (MAS)

• Enrollment: 1,734 students (K‑12); 100% free/reduced lunch; 12.4% special education.
• Attendance: 88.3% (K‑5), 87.2% (6‑8), 82.2% (9‑12).
• Licensure: 32 issues (14 expired, 9 pending, 8 no file, 1 invalid lifetime). School reports many teachers struggling to pass licensure tests; HR case‑managing each individual.
• Academic Growth: reading 57% (elem.), 77% (middle), 57% (high school); math 55% (elem.), 66% (middle), 52% (high school); writing 54% (elem.), 49% (middle), 66% (high school); IEP goals met: 88% (elem.), 58% (middle), 77% (high school).
• Forward Exam Proficiency: 3‑5 ELA 12%, math 9.4%; 6‑8 ELA 20.2%, math 22.3%.
• Pre‑ACT Secure (9‑10): English 12%, math 3.3%.
• Four‑Year Graduation Rate: 93.5% (2025); 97.1% post‑secondary acceptance; $5.3 million in scholarships.
• ACT Progress: 59.2% of 11th graders improved.
• Year‑to‑year Progress: ELA 43.3%, math 34.7%.
• Scorecard: Elementary 57.5%, Middle 60.8%, High School 75.7%, Weighted 62.1%.
• Culture/Climate: Overall 74.5% (developing); supportive environment up 6.2 points; effective leaders down 6.9. Staff reported limited decision‑making influence and inconsistent discipline across grade levels.
• Improvement Goals: Increase academic rigor and student ownership (especially math), strengthen PLCs and coaching, ensure speech/language pathology staffing, build coherence in discipline and communication across campuses.
• Recommendation: Continue annual monitoring with emphasis on reading and math.
• Committee Questions: Dr. Davis asked about middle‑school suspensions and restorative practices; Dr. Mallet described dean PLCs and SEL curriculum. Dr. Brookshire inquired about low 9‑10 English and math; Dr. Mallet outlined a new ninth‑grade cohort structure. Chair asked about licensure improvement; Dr. Mallet noted investment in test preparation and study groups. Chair also cautioned about growth‑related staffing challenges. Dr. Brookshire pressed on the elementary scorecard under 60%; Dr. Mallet responded with focus on early literacy and math fluency.
• Vote: Motion by Bill Christianson, second by Dr. Davis; carried unanimously.

5. Milwaukee Math and Science Academy (MMSA)

• Enrollment: 230 students (K‑8); 94.8% free/reduced lunch; 20% special education; 13.5% ELL.
• Attendance: 85.8% (K‑5), 83.2% (6‑8).
• Licensure: Two concerns – one teacher in support role working toward bachelor’s (no license), one teacher with expired license scheduled for test.
• Academic Growth (MAP): Reading 65% (overall seems), math data unclear; growth percentages for reading and math were reported with apparent transcription inconsistencies. Writing 80% (elem.), 51% (middle); 100% of IEP students met at least one goal.
• Forward Exam Proficiency: 3‑5 ELA 23.6%, math 13.9%; 6‑8 ELA 11.3%, math 3.2%.
• Year‑to‑year Progress: ELA 40.7%, math 27.2%.
• Contract Compliance (progress): ELA 34.7% (target 35%), math 27.8%.
• Scorecard: Elementary 63.2%, Middle 59.8%, Weighted 22.2% (appears inconsistent with component scores).
• Culture/Climate: Overall 88.8% (proficient), improved in all areas. Staff reported strong professional culture; students raised fairness and discipline concerns.
• Improvement Goals: Improve foundational math/reading through core instruction; extend relational strengths to formal student voice and career development; build SEL/digital citizenship programming; diversify certified staff.
• Recommendation: Continue annual monitoring with emphasis on reading and math.
• Committee Questions: Chair asked about current licensure; principal confirmed one teacher in support role finishing degree, one testing. Bill Christianson opened for broader comment; principal addressed support‑staff development and student‑voice gaps. Dr. Davis asked about enrollment retention (76.7%); principal cited academic/behavioral attrition and new strategies (positive calls, summer bridge). Dr. Brookshire questioned math performance and student/teacher beliefs; principal described bridging NWEA to Forward exam with multi‑step problem practice and CISA support. Chair asked about parent involvement; principal noted opportunities but limited uptake. Chair also encouraged outreach to DPI regarding Portrait of a Graduate.
• Vote: Motion by Bill Christianson, second by Dr. Davis; carried unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• All five schools’ recommendations were approved unanimously.
• DLHA received a recommendation for a five‑year contract renewal with continued annual monitoring and emphasis on reading and math.
• DMA, EV, MAS, and MMSA received recommendations to continue annual academic monitoring and reporting, each with emphasis on reading and/or math outcomes.
• No action was taken on administrative matters (Item 8) as there were no formal proposals.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:09 PM.