Chair moves Madison Metropolitan School District board into closed session over bargaining strategy

The Chair of the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education moved on May 18, 2026, that the board enter closed session to consider negotiations strategy regarding collective bargaining wages for all MMSD bargaining units, citing Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(e). "I move that the board of education go into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin statute sections 19.85 subsection 1, subsection e for the purpose of considering negotiations strategy regarding collective bargaining based wages for all MMSD bargaining units," the Chair said.

The motion was seconded twice; the transcript records two "Second" responses but does not identify which board members seconded the motion. The Chair then called for the vote, and the board recorded a 6-0 tally in favor of entering closed session. The transcript records the board as entering closed session and the numeric result "6 0" but does not attribute individual votes to named board members.

Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(e) was cited on the record. That provision is the statutory authorization typically used to hold a closed session to consider strategy related to collective bargaining negotiations. The motion on the record specified the topic as "negotiations strategy regarding collective bargaining based wages for all MMSD bargaining units." No additional details about bargaining positions, timelines, or specific units were recorded in the provided segments.

The meeting transcript ends as the board entered closed session; no further public proceedings or votes on specific agreements were recorded in the supplied segments.