Literacy

In 2025-26, Milwaukee Public Schools is rolling out a new literacy plan focused on helping all students read — and all means all.

We will be using a “science of reading” approach that aligns with recent state legislation that has accelerated the district’s move in this important direction. The new plan shifts from a focus on intervening with struggling students to providing high-quality literacy instruction to all students from the very start. It also shifts from older tools such as “3 cuing” that allow students to guess at words based on pictures and contexts to an intentional focus on “decoding” words by sounding them out. To put it in place, the district is providing 40 hours of intensive training this year to help make all educators experts in the science of reading.

We invite you to learn more

• View the 08/28/2025 Literacy slide deck presentation to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors (PDF)

Video explainer: MPS Literacy Plan (2025)

Ambitious Instruction: Accelerating Learning

The Ambitious Instruction: Accelerating Learning plan brings the district back to the basics of quality learning and teaching. It unites all content areas around (1) formative practices, (2) explicit instruction, and (3) meaningful student engagement. Each grade level and content area will embrace specific instructional practices around these areas.

The following equity-oriented practices provide the framework for Ambitious Instruction: Accelerating Learning.

• Using high-quality, standards-aligned, district-adopted instructional materials
• Focusing on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices that promote learning
• Leveraging technology to empower students to create, collaborate, communicate, and think critically

Act 20

As part of Wisconsin’s commitment to supporting strong reading skills under Act 20, all schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction. Visit the Act 20 page to learn more.

Mission

The mission of the Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Teaching and Learning is to develop students’ understanding and thinking through the integration of reading and writing, which will prepare all students to become critical consumers of information as well as to convey sophisticated and complex ideas. The district will achieve this by implementing the following practices:

• Creating a culture for learning that engages all communities of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals
• Using culturally and linguistically responsive dispositions that honor our students’ native languages to build bridges to standardized English
• Building socially and emotionally safe environments that promote risk taking and a diversity of perspective
• Designing and engaging students in rigorous and relevant lessons that are aligned to the curriculum
• Implementing research-based instructional practices and instructional frameworks grounded in a high-quality, balanced assessment system that offers a tiered system of support for all students

Vision

The vision of the Milwaukee Public Schools literacy department is to educate all students to proficiency and beyond in order to prepare them for success in higher education, careers, and responsible citizenship. The ultimate goal of literacy education is to celebrate and utilize the language and literacy practices of our culturally and linguistically diverse learners as a tool to bridge, foster, and add academic literacy to students’ abilities.

We need YOU! Are you interested in making a difference? Volunteer!