But what they support, other than more money for MPS from Madison, is unclear. Barely half of the freshmen in Milwaukee high schools graduate four years later. The new board should make reversing such frightful numbers its top goal. Today, MPS wastes huge amounts of money on busing that does not promote integration - the original intent. Putting that money into schools friendly to neighborhoods makes sense.
Effective schools tend to control their resources.
Standards and accountability. Schools, teachers and principals used to be largely unaccountable for their results, however dismal. The new board must keep the momentum going. Annual tests can be an effective accountability tool by providing a way to measure student progress. So far, critics of tests have failed to suggest alternative ways the public can monitor how well students are meeting raised standards.