Priority enrollment for Milwaukee Public Schools has ended, but it isn’t too late to get your student enrolled before the new school year starts on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Enrollment is open for all prospective MPS families until Monday, Aug. 31. Enrolling your child before the school year ensures they have a spot to start school on time in September, MPS Enrollment Manager Michael Spidell said.
“Many of the district’s most popular schools and specialized programs reach capacity during the spring enrollment period,” Spidell said. “Families are encouraged to apply as early as possible to maximize the number of school options available to them.”
Here is everything you need to know about enrolling your child in an MPS school this August.
Do I need to enroll my child?
If your student already attends an MPS school and is staying there, you do not have to re-enroll them.
If they have reached the top grade at that school – like a fifth grader at a K-5 school or an eighth grader at a K-8 – Spidell said the district will automatically assign them to a new school, typically the closest school with open seats. If you have a preference on where your child goes, you will have to enroll them into that school yourself.
Have you had challenges enrolling your child to school?
Let me know at aklaus@milwaukeenns.org.
To check whether your student is enrolled yet, families who created an Infinite Campus account can look at their parent portal to view their child’s school assignment, monitor attendance and more, Spidell said.
The platform is accessible by most computers, smartphones and tablets. Spidell said families who need help to create a username and password may contact their child’s school or the MPS Student Services Office.
Spidell said families can also call their child’s school to confirm their assignment and receive information about the upcoming school year.
How do I pick a school?
MPS offers several kinds of schools that meet different student needs. You can find a map of every MPS school here and filter based on grades offered, start and end times, specialty programs and more.
Neighborhood schools prioritize accepting students who live near the school but also accept children from other neighborhoods if seats are available.
Specialty schools offer a variety of special programs. MPS has nine tuition-free Montessori schools, 23 schools with bilingual programs, and 17 with career and technical education programs.
MPS authorizes 11 charter schools, some of which have a separate application or enrollment process. These schools have greater independence than other schools in the district.
The district also has three alternative high schools and two contracted partner schools for students who are not on track to graduate. One of the contracted partner schools, Grandview High School, will close after the 2026-27 school year.
Not all schools in the district have the same services for students with disabilities.
“While Milwaukee Public Schools strives to provide equitable access to special education services throughout the district, some specialized programs are available only at select school locations,” Spidell said.
The district doesn’t publish a directory of schools with specialized programs for students with disabilities to protect the privacy of these students. New and returning families can request an in-person review of their child’s individualized education program, or IEP, where a special education specialist will review the plan to ensure their school can properly meet the student’s support needs.
The district is also adjusting classroom capacity across the district as part of its “Standard of Care,” which Spidell said gives teachers more individualized time with each student and monitors academic processes more closely.
This means schools may fill up quicker as the Standard of Care is reached, Spidell said.
My student is experiencing homelessness. What should I do?
Families experiencing housing loss or prolonged homelessness may be eligible for special services from the district’s Homeless Education Program.
Spidell said this includes “the opportunity for their child to remain enrolled in their school of origin when it is in the student’s best interest.”
If your student is experiencing housing instability or homelessness, visit the Central Services Office. If you’re unable to visit the office, contact the school social worker at your student’s current school, who can help connect families with the Homeless Education Program.
What about transportation?
Spidell said the district assigns students to transportation throughout the school year, but families who want transportation in place in time for the first day of school should enroll no later than Aug. 21.
Transportation is typically finalized within seven to 10 business days after enrollment is completed.
What about childcare?
Ninety-five schools across the district have after-school programs and 36 have before-school programs like Community Learning Centers, safe spaces and camps offering childcare, academic enrichment and activities each school day.
How to enroll
Enrollment is open until Monday, Aug. 31. After that, it may become more complicated to get your child into school.
The district enrollment application is available online here. You can also visit the MPS Central Office, 5225 W. Vliet St., to fill out an application in person.
Where to go for help
If you have any questions about enrollment, call the MPS Central Office at 414-475-8448 or email enrollmentsupport@milwaukeepublicschools.org.
Alex Klaus is the education solutions reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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