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MPS to Redesign Struggling Bradley Tech High School

Erin Toner
UWM Chancellor Mark Mone, MATC President Vicki Martin and MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver lead a discussion Tuesday about redesigning Bradley Tech High School

Milwaukee Public Schools says it has a plan to turn around Bradley Tech. 

The south side high school opened more than a century ago as the first public school to teach the trades.  Over the decades, it churned out graduates prepared for jobs with local industry, and in 2002, donors helped build a new state-of-the-art building.

But last year, Bradley Tech ranked last among MPS high schools on measures including academic performance and college readiness. The school also struggles with behavioral problems and absenteeism.

“Student achievement has really fallen back and there are a number of issues that are related to that, but what I think what’s most important is that we’re trying to move forward at this time,” says MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver.

Driver says it became difficult in recent years to find the right balance of trades, technical education and core subjects. Now a turnaround plan aims to return Bradley Tech to its roots.

“Really building that vision again so that we’re fulfilling the mission of being the trades center for our city,” she says.

The school will restructure its curriculum and retrain teachers so students learn exactly what they need to be ready for jobs in high-demand trades, or for college. Driver says Tech will also incorporate college-level courses so students can leave with a one-year jump on an associate’s degree.

“Our students will know as soon as they enter the door through the time that they leave that they have options not only for a high school diploma, but a technical diploma as well as a four-year degree,” Driver says.

“It’s really critical that we have got high school students who have this kind of interest,” says Vicki Martin, president of Milwaukee Area Technical College and chairperson of the Bradley Tech Commission, which oversees the school’s operations.

Martin says her college struggles to produce enough graduates for available trades and tech jobs, so it’s vital to reach interested students early.

“For us it’s really important, for our success and working with our business community, to make sure that they’ve got the right kind of talent that’s ready to go,” Martin says.

Clifton Phelps understands the “pipeline problem” firsthand. He’s a 1999 graduate of Tech and owns JCP Construction in Milwaukee, along with his brothers.

He says his company has had to provide extensive training to new employees because they’re just not prepared.

“What we’d like to see as our workforce grows and work grows around Milwaukee is a larger trained force of younger people that are able to meet the quotas as the older tradesmen retire,” Phelps says.

Another 1999 Tech grad who attended the Tuesday meeting is Scott Brooks. He says he favors an entrance exam or admission requirements to help the school improve.

“When I, in 8th grade, decided to come here, I had to write an essay, I had to have a certain GPA, I got extra points because I had family who graduated from here, so just standards for kids who are interested,” Brooks says.

Bradley Tech leaders say higher admission standards is an idea to consider, but not right away because the process may not net enough students to keep the school open. For now, MPS says it will aggressively recruit students likely to succeed and better support those who are struggling in and out of school.

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