Cleo Krejci

Following news of a financial crisis in Milwaukee Public Schools, a legislative committee has mandated a state audit of Wisconsin’s education department.

The co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee said MPS’ financial issues that came to light this spring necessitate a deeper review of the Department of Public Instruction itself. The review by the Legislative Audit Bureau will probe for answers about how DPI monitors K-12 school finances.

“Clearly (the Department of Public Instruction) decided not to treat the infection it knew about at (Milwaukee Public Schools), and let it fester until it was too late,” State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay and co-chair of the audit committee, said Thursday.

Though the audit was approved Thursday, not all members of the legislative committee were in support of it. Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Somers, said he voted no because the audit was a “fishing expedition” that didn’t take the taxpayers into consideration.

“I believe in local control and local responsibility,” Wirch said. “A lot of people have lost their jobs over what happened in Milwaukee. We already have an audit that’s going to be happening.”

Details about what drove the financial crisis in Milwaukee are still murky. But what’s clear is the district was months late in submitting required financial information to the state, driving its superintendent and two other administrators to vacate their positions.