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Parent/Guardian Rights and Responsibilities

Parents and guardians are our most important partners in a child’s education. Your involvement is essential to your child’s education success. We urge you to understand and exercise your rights and responsibilities. For more information, contact your school principal or visit our online welcome center. The list of rights comes from the Rules, Policies and Procedures of the Milwaukee Public Schools. To examine these documents, visit mpsmke.com/policiesandprocedures.

As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for:

  • Communicating to your child that you and the school district expect high academic achievement and that you believe in his/her ability to achieve academically.
  • Ensuring that your child attends school daily and arrives on time. You must provide explanations for absences and tardiness in writing, via electronic form, or any other method of personal contact of which a record is kept by the school.
  • Informing the school when you change address (verification required), telephone number, or emergency contact information.
  • Ensuring that your child has all health immunizations as required by law.
  • Attending parent conferences and participating in parent organizations at the school. All MPS parents should obtain an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. The Parent Portal allows 24-hour online access to your child’s school records (see Parent Portal).
  • Providing a home environment that allows your child to study and supports his/her academic performance and behavior in school.
  • Knowing the discipline guidelines as stated in this handbook and the guidelines of your child’s school. Discuss discipline with your child and encourage positive behavior.
  • Conducting yourself in a respectful manner at school.
 

Support Your Children’s Efforts

Research shows that the involvement of parents is the most important factor in a child’s school success.
 
  1. Become involved in your children’s school work. Ask about it daily.
  2. Provide a quiet place at home where your children can study.
  3. Find one person in the school you are comfortable with to talk to about your concerns.
  4. Teach your children to resolve conflicts peacefully. This will be reinforced in school.
  5. Ask the school to help if you have problems with your children.
  6. Be a good example for your children. They watch what you do.

Parent/Guardian Bill of Rights

Rights of Parents: Noncustodial, Foster, Special Education, English Learner Students

If you are a noncustodial parent, you have the same rights to student records, progress reports, school mailings, school visits, and parent-teacher conferences as a custodial parent unless a court order restricts such rights. If a court order is in place, the custodial parent must provide a copy to the school principal. It is the responsibility of a noncustodial parent, if desired, to give the school his/her address and contact information, request to be consulted regarding their child, and be placed on school mailing lists. Only the custodial parent/legal guardian can remove a child from school or give permission for the child to be removed from school by another adult.

As a foster parent, you have many of the same rights as biological parents or legal guardians for the duration of the child’s placement in your home. In some cases, however, these rights are restricted by law. One such case is the authorization of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) evaluation for the child. A foster parent cannot authorize an IEP evaluation unless all attempts to contact the biological parent or legal guardian have failed or the biological parents’ rights have been terminated. In addition, foster parents generally cannot change a student’s school placement and are encouraged to work with the child’s case manager to discuss the enrollment/transportation process. For more information, please refer to https://dpi.wi.gov/foster-care. Contact the Department of Student Services for details.

If you believe your child may have special education needs, you have the right to have him/her evaluated. Request an evaluation by contacting the teacher or principal of your child’s school. If your child does not attend an MPS school, you can contact the principal of a nearby MPS school or call Child Find at (414) 874-8493.

If your child is identified as an English Learner, you have the right to ask for a school that provides language assistance services. MPS offers the English as a Second Language program to all English Learners as well as a bilingual dual language program. For enrollment procedures and program placement, contact the Lau Compliance Center at (414) 475-8525.

Rights of Families – Safe Haven

The Milwaukee Board of School Directors adopted Resolution 1617R–007 designating all Milwaukee Public Schools as “safe havens” for all students, regardless of immigration status.

Per Resolution 1617R-007: District employees, contractors, volunteers, and representatives shall not, unless compelled by a valid court order, or subsequent to receiving a signed release, disclose to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers or to any other person or entity any information about any district student that is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or Wisconsin State Statute § 118.125, Pupil Records, and applicable MPS policy or procedure.

That no Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers or other immigration law enforcement personnel shall be granted immediate access to any district school for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws and shall be referred immediately to the superintendent or designee.

For further information regarding the MPS safe haven resolution, visit mpsmke.com/safehaven. 

For further information regarding nondiscrimination, please review MPS Administrative Policy 1.04 Nondiscrimination by visiting mpsmke.com/policiesandprocedures.

This policy applies to all MPS students without exception, regardless of the immigration status of a student or family. For questions regarding policies and procedures, contact the Department of Student Services at (414) 475-8159.
 

Rights Regarding Information on Teacher Qualifications

Parents of students in MPS schools will receive notification if their child is being taught by a teacher who has not met the qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade level and/or subject being taught for four or more consecutive weeks. Parents also have the right to contact the principal and/or instructional leader and request information about teacher qualifications. The law requires that this information be given in a timely manner. As a parent, you have the right to ask:

  1. Whether the teacher met state professional qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade level and subject(s) he or she teaches;

  2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which the state qualifications were waived; and
  3. Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of their certification.

You may also ask whether your child receives help from a paraprofessional. If your child receives this assistance, we can provide you with information about the paraprofessional’s qualifications.
 

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect

MPS takes child safety issues seriously. MPS staff are required by state law to report suspected child abuse and
neglect. Required reporting leads to protection for all our children and helps identify supports for families who may need it. If you have specific questions regarding child abuse and neglect policies and procedures in MPS, please contact the School Social Work Office at (414) 438-3559.