Final ESSER III report: MPS and AIR say tutoring, school-based mental health and curriculum steps expanded services; mixed academic results

Milwaukee Public Schools staff and external evaluators from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) presented the district’s final report on ESSER III spending and an evaluation of major program initiatives, including tutoring, contracted mental-health services and a new social studies curriculum.

Why it matters: ESSER III funding supported academic recovery, mental-health expansion and facilities and technology investments across MPS. The committee received program-level results and an update to an internal Geographic Information System dashboard that maps participation and absenteeism.

What the district reported

Shelby (Shelly) Perkins, director of state and federal programs, told the committee the final ESSER III budget report summarizes program accomplishments through the program’s close on Sept. 30, 2024. The district reported multiple investments: college-credit opportunities, dual enrollment with local institutions, expanded virtual options, summer and after-school programs, internship and apprenticeship participation, technology (Chromebooks, interactive panels) and facilities upgrades at several high schools. Perkins said each school received discretionary ESSER funding to address school-specific needs and listed mental-health and social-emotional learning investments including a new health clinic at South Division High School.

AIR evaluation: tutoring, mental health and social studies

Dr. Elizabeth Adams and Dr. Rachel Chamberlain of AIR presented findings from an evaluation covering 2022–23 and 2023–24. - Tutoring: Participation rose (about 3,500 students in 2022–23 to about 5,000 in 2023–24). Average sessions per participating student fell from about 25 sessions to about 21 sessions. AIR used a comparison-group research design and reported that tutoring participation significantly reduced students’ unexcused absences — roughly one fewer unexcused absence for participating students relative to comparable nonparticipants — but did not produce statistically significant differences on STAR reading and math scores in the period analyzed. - Mental-health services: Most contracted services were school-based. AIR reported that two-thirds of referred students received a consultation and most of those continued to at least one therapy session. Students who received 20 or more therapy sessions showed a statistically significant reduction in unexcused absences (about two fewer unexcused absences across the school year), and self-reported scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire improved (lower scores indicate better outcomes). Overall effects on attendance for the average therapy participant were not statistically significant. - Social studies curriculum: Teachers’ self-reported preparedness, implementation, usability and feasibility scores improved from the first to second year of implementation, with a slight decline in acceptability; teachers asked for additional targeted professional development. AIR did not observe a relationship between teacher self-reported implementation and student achievement for the initial implementation period; investigators noted small sample size and early stage of rollout as possible reasons.

GIS dashboard update and use

AIR and district staff demonstrated an updated Geographic Information System dashboard that maps participation in tutoring and mental-health services and now includes attendance and unexcused-absence data. MPS staff were trained to maintain the tool and the district intends to use it for program monitoring.

Committee response

President Herndon thanked staff for publishing the final report and encouraged the public to review the materials online. No formal committee action was required on the ESSER III final report; presenters said full evaluation reports would be shared with the district and that MPS will continue using evaluation findings to plan program delivery.

Ending

District and AIR staff said the evaluation reports will be posted and used internally; the committee heard the results, praised the work and took no formal vote.