Council Hears Conditional‑use Request for Academy of Excellence at St. Rita’s Property; School Board Members Raise Funding Concerns

A proposed high school operated by Academy of Excellence is seeking a conditional‑use permit to occupy the former St. Rita’s school building at the block including 6021 West Lincoln Avenue and adjacent properties, city planning staff told the Common Council on March 18.

The conditional‑use request covers school use in a C‑2 commercial zone, architectural and landscaping review, and use of the church parking lot and an adjacent gymnasium by lease. Staff said the school intends standard academic hours (Monday–Friday, roughly 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), occasional after‑school events, and a maximum enrollment of about 125 students; the applicant expects to bring roughly 100 high‑school students and five employees and to start classes in September if approved.

The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal last month and recommended approval with conditions, planning staff said. Those conditions include provision of ADA‑accessible parking, additional landscaping and bicycle racks, a floor‑by‑floor programmatic plan for the building, confirmation of code compliance for window and entry closures where the rectory and school meet, and coordination with engineering for any changes to on‑street parking or loading. Staff also described a bus staging plan for four to five buses that would operate from the shared church parking area and emphasized that the school does not plan on‑site food preparation; catered meals would be brought to campus.

Why it matters: the property is an active parish campus and a block‑level change in use could affect parking, traffic and local public‑school enrollment patterns if students living in the district choose the new private school.

Planning staff answered council questions about tax status and existing charter schools. When Alderman Weigel asked whether the purchase would change the property’s taxable status, staff responded that the purchaser is a nonprofit and “would remain nontaxable.” Alderman Grisham asked about the number of charter schools in the area; staff did not provide a precise local count during the hearing.

Public comment focused on the financial impact of private voucher schools on the West Allis‑West Milwaukee public school district. Kristin Kaiser, who identified herself as a member of the West Allis‑West Milwaukee School Board but spoke as a constituent, told the council that “charter schools and voucher programs … often lead to increased educational costs” and said such programs can divert public funds away from traditional public schools. Amy Diehl, who identified herself as a West Allis resident and elected representative of the West Allis‑West Milwaukee School District, described district funding formulas and said the district receives $11,403 per secondary student while voucher funding referenced by the speaker was higher (the speaker cited $12,731 for a voucher student). Diehl said the net effect, as explained in the district’s presentations to the council earlier this year, is that local taxpayers could face higher property taxes if students shift to voucher schools and that the district could lose both local and state aid for students who transfer. “If the Academy of Excellence opens a high school within our district, some students who reside in our district will undoubtedly attend,” Diehl said. She urged the council to consider those financial impacts as it evaluates the permit.

No final council action was taken at the hearing; the public hearing closed after opportunity for questions and comment and the application will return to the council for formal action under the usual review process.

What’s next: staff will ensure requested materials (floor‑by‑floor use, ADA and landscaping details, code compliance plans) are submitted and will place the matter on a future council agenda for decision.

Speakers quoted: Planning staff (presentation), Kristin Kaiser (West Allis resident; West Allis‑West Milwaukee School Board member), Amy Diehl (West Allis resident; West Allis‑West Milwaukee School Board member).

Ending: The application remains under review; council members asked staff for the additional documentation specified by the Planning Commission and flagged local fiscal and traffic questions raised during public comment for further review.