MMSD details RESTORE and Metro programs; RESTORE enrollments rose 29%

Madison Metropolitan School District staff presented an update on the Office of Youth Reengagement (OYR), describing in‑house alternative programs — including RESTORE — and contracted or partner sites that serve students involved with juvenile and adult justice systems.

Tina Geier, executive director of the Office of Youth Reengagement, told the board the office “collaborates with a variety of contracted partners as well as offering our own unique programming options.” She said the office aims to strengthen connections across alternative high‑school options and to center students’ identities and pathways.

Lily Hengartner, coordinator for progressive discipline, described RESTORE as “our district's expulsion alternative program... students who participate... do so prior to any expulsion hearing occurring and thereby protect themselves from the possible risk of expulsion.” RESTORE provides a hybrid model: half‑day in‑person project‑based learning and half‑day approved online learning, with embedded social‑emotional supports and clinician partnerships (Journey Mental Health) in key quarters.

Staff provided data on Metro sites and RESTORE. District presenters said Metro Detention and Shelter had an average length of stay of about 16 days for the 2023–24 school year; adult‑system sites (Metro Veil and Huber) had a longer average stay of roughly 142 days. The district reported a 29% increase in RESTORE enrollment for the 2024–25 year; nearly two‑thirds of RESTORE students identified as Black/African American, and about half were receiving IEP services (district staff said they would provide a breakdown of overlap on request).

Presenters stressed transition planning: RESTORE staff conduct intake meetings, coordinate with families, provide transportation as needed and start exit planning “upon entry,” with transition meetings beginning about four weeks before a student’s scheduled exit. The district said it has invested in a transition coordinator and restorative justice coaches at comprehensive high schools to improve reintegration and reduce lapses in support.

Staff described Metro classroom partnerships that provide experiential learning (First Tee of South Central Wisconsin, Olbrich Botanical Gardens) and program collaborations with the Black Men’s Coalition and others to broaden mentorship and financial literacy supports. Officials said Metro enrollment has declined in recent years but noted many Metro students arrive from outside MMSD; in one year, of 88 enrollments at Metro Detention and Shelter, 42 were students arriving from outside MMSD.

Board members asked about trends that lead students into RESTORE and Metro (for example, student‑to‑student conflict escalating to serious incidents), mental‑health service access in short‑stay settings and efforts to reduce future school‑to‑justice system contact. District staff acknowledged site‑specific gaps in mental‑health access and said county facility providers fill some roles in detention settings, while in‑district programs and partners provide services elsewhere. Staff did not propose new board policy at the meeting; they described ongoing operational and partnership steps.