Another serving of educational food for thought:

1)      Nobody seems to know where the current tumult around low performing schools is heading, but wherever it is, it looks like people will get there quickly. There is as much as $45 million in federal aid on the table to do something about schools in Wisconsin that are getting the weakest results. The state Department of Public Instruction put five schools in the most severe bracket, another seven in a second-from-the-bottom tier, and more than two dozen in a third group. All are in the Milwaukee Public Schools system. The federal Department of Education requires that the schools in at least the two lowest groups make major changes – start all over or get rid of much of the staff or similar steps. Now, as part of the process, MPS administrators have issued a request for proposals for professional firms to provide “transformation reform frameworks” for eight large high school buildings. School Board President Michael Bonds said Thursday that the Board had not approved the idea of getting bids for overhauling the schools and he does not know what will result. The eight schools are Vincent, Custer, Madison, Bradley Tech, Pulaski, Washington, Bay View, and South Division. You have a plan for what to do with those schools? Get moving. You’ve got until 2 p.m. April 12 to submit it to the MPS purchasing office.

2)      I really should set the record straight: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett spoke out on the need for changes in the health insurance choices for MPS employees before I did.