MILWAUKEE – The largest school district in the state could operate on a smaller footprint.

A consultant presented the option to the Milwaukee Public Schools school board on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Six months in, the district’s long-term facilities master plan is underway and outlines what could be significant changes.

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Perkins Eastman, an architecture and consulting firm, studied each school and its use before classifying them into one of four categories: building and programmatic investment, building addition, closure/merger, or ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

“We know it takes a lot of work, time and ability to do any of the strategies we’re talking about if you want to do it right,” said Nate Morris with Perkins Eastman.

The lists were presented to the board on Tuesday.

“Research shows that when districts enact closures, they often disproportionately impact communities that are underserved, marginalized or suffering,” Morris said.

However, the consultant suggests 13 schools, which are all in the northern part of the city, could be closed or merged. Their data shows that when sorted by school board districts, the number of students living around those schools is most below student capacity.

Board director Henry Leonard said he hopes whatever happens is fair.

“A lot can happen over the course of 10 years,” Leonard said. “My hope is to see a significant change, a change in how we can do this.”

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The presentation also calls for committees to decide which options are best for their region before implementing them.

The plan also calls for adding on schools that are at or near capacity, if there is space on site to do so. The board has sent the plan to the committee, which is beginning the formal process of acting on it.

The documents showed the list of 13 schools that are recommended for closure/merger:

• Brown Street Academy (elementary school)
• Clarke Street Academy (K-8)
• Siefert School (primary school)
• Starms Discovery Learning Center (K-8)
• Auer Avenue School (elementary school)
• Hopkins Lloyd Community School (elementary school)
• Jackson Elementary School
• Dr. George Washington Carver Academy (K-8)
• Oliver Wendell Holmes School (K-8)
• Andrew S. Douglas Middle School
• Keefe Avenue School (Elementary School)
• Robert M. LaFollette School (K-8)
• William T. Sherman School (K-8)

If MPS decides to close or merge any schools, the process would likely take years.