MPS Grants Carmen Northwest One-Year Extension, Ends Authorization in 2027

Overview

• Milwaukee Public Schools approved a one-year contract for Carmen Northwest that runs through June 30, 2027, ending MPS’s authorizing role and requiring the school to vacate district space by the end of the 2027 school year.
• MPS leaders said the school failed a contract benchmark that requires outperforming district averages in English and math, citing scores roughly 10 percentage points lower than the district.
• Carmen CEO Aaron Lippman disputed the comparison, saying the school tested 97% of students versus about 67% districtwide, which he argues skews the averages.
• Carmen says it completed a 200-page renewal application and that a board renewal committee, including President Missy Zombor and Member Mimi Reza, recommended a three-year renewal that the full board did not follow.
• The school says it will continue operating while seeking a new authorizer such as UW–Milwaukee, as supporters criticized the process and pointed to more than $2 million in revenue MPS receives through agreements with Carmen Northwest.