Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius said progress is being made on MPS’s plan to remediate lead hazards in dozens of the district’s older schools.
“All of our students, families and employees deserve a safe and healthy school environment,” Dr. Cassellius said. “Delivering on this promise is one of our most important responsibilities. Our staff and contractors continue to work multiple shifts every day to fix lead paint issues, and we are accelerating our efforts to maintain a key aim identified in our lead action plan. Our goal continues to be that — by the start of the school year — all schools built before 1950 that serve elementary children would be cleared by the Milwaukee Health Department.”
More than 150 painters are currently working at MPS sites. Specific items of progress and next steps include:
Nine (9) schools — including all schools that were temporarily relocated during the 2024-25 school year — have been officially cleared of lead hazards by the Milwaukee Health Department and are ready to welcome students, families and employees. These school communities have all been notified.
Another 14 schools in the next phase of the district’s efforts are nearing completion of the stabilization process and will soon be ready to be cleared by the health department. MPS will let school communities know as soon as they are cleared.
The next 18 schools are set to be stabilized in the coming days and weeks. The district is accelerating the work by focusing more on lead stabilization and related touch-up painting and reducing the amount of cosmetic painting work that could happen at a later time.
The final 9 schools include some buildings with additions built after 1978 and others that have excess space with the ability to relocate classes internally. Lead stabilization work in these schools will focus on common areas and spaces important to daily instruction and operation.
MPS remains on track for its goal of clearing all buildings built prior to 1978, serving elementary students, by the end of this calendar year.
“I want to extend my appreciation once again to our dedicated staff and contractors who have been working tirelessly across multiple shifts to make spaces safe and to all of our families and employees for their patience during this challenging time,” said Dr. Cassellius. “I am grateful for the opportunity to restore your trust in our schools and this district that is so vital to the community we all share.”
The first day of classes at MPS is Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Schools
Nine schools — including all schools that were temporarily relocated during the 2024-25 school year — have been officially cleared of lead hazards by the Milwaukee Health Department:
Brown Street School
Fernwood Montessori School
Kagel School
LaFollette School
Maryland Avenue Montessori School
Golda Meir School – Lower Campus
Starms Early Childhood Center
Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies
Westside Academy
Another 14 schools in the next phase are nearing completion of the stabilization process:
Academia de Lenguaje y Bellas Artes (ALBA)
Auer Avenue School
Forest Home Avenue School
Hartford University School
Hayes Bilingual School
Humboldt Park School
Longfellow School
MacDowell Montessori School
Milwaukee French Immersion School
Mitchell Integrated Arts School
Riley Dual Language Montessori School
Siefert School
Townsend Street School
Escuela Vieau
The next 18 schools are set to be stabilized in the coming days and weeks:
Barbee Montessori School
Bay View Montessori School – Lower Campus
Bay View Montessori School – Upper Campus
Burbank School
Burdick School
Cass Street School
Craig Montessori School
Doerfler School
Escuela Fratney
Greenfield Bilingual School
U.S. Grant School
Hawley Environmental School
Lincoln Avenue School
Manitoba School
Morgandale School
Neeskara School
Story School
Zablocki Elementary School
The final 9 schools include some buildings with additions built after 1978 and others that have excess space with the ability to relocate classes internally:
