Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR)

The Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) Program supports Wisconsin schools working to close the achievement gap for kindergarten through third-grade students from low-income backgrounds. Schools that receive AGR funding offer extra academic and instructional support, which can include:

• Small class sizes (with 18:1 or 30:2 classroom ratios)
• One-on-one tutoring provided by a licensed teacher
• Instructional coaching for teachers

Learning Journeys

Learning Journeys are educational field trips for all MPS students that are designed to take what students are learning in the classroom out into the real world. These annual opportunities aim to expand students’ career awareness (K3–grade 3) and help them explore potential careers (grades 4, 5, and 8).

SHARP Literacy

SHARP Literacy energizes students to become confident, capable readers, writers and researchers, using the visual arts to engage students and reinforce learning. On pre-and post-vocabulary tests, SHARP students improve their literacy skills between 40-70%.