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Board adopts amended Act 20 professional‑development resolution to expedite reading training
Summary
The board adopted an amended resolution directing implementation of professional development under Act 20, emphasizing the science of reading and preserving teacher prep time; the measure passed 8‑1 after public comment and debate over timing and compensation for training.
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted 8-1 to adopt an amended resolution (Res. 2425R‑6) directing the district to advance professional development tied to Act 20 with an emphasis on the science of reading and safeguards for teacher prep time.
Director Gokul Gandhi, who sponsored the resolution, told the board she revised the item after receiving emails from teachers and community members and said the amended version ‘‘preserves and respects teacher time’’ while accelerating training toward the science of reading.
Public comment was extensive. Quentin Klabon, who urged faster completion of LETRS training, told the board: “Until you finish LETRS training, teacher retraining, and educators understand, better how to best teach literacy…we will not see improvement.” Ingrid Walker Henry, president of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, urged that the district meet and confer with MTEA in good faith and requested administration engage the union on implementation and pay issues.
Administration told the board it supports the amended resolution and said additional release days would be used for training rather than after‑school or weekend time. Board discussion focused on urgency after recent NAEP scores, practical limits of teacher time and whether the state’s intended Act 20 funding has been released. Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan said DPI had not released all implementation funds and the district was using existing resources to comply.
The final roll call was 8 ayes, 1 no (Director Jackson). The board’s motion directs the administration to implement the resolution as amended; specific deadlines for completing LETRS or other training were not specified in the public motion record.
