MILWAUKEE—Milwaukee Public Schools is appealing a proposed conference realignment that would move Reagan High School and Carmen South & Carmen Southeast out of the Milwaukee City Conference and into the Southeast Conference.
The proposal, advanced by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Conference Realignment Task Force, would place Reagan and Carmen alongside Racine and Kenosha-area schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year, if approved. The plan impacts six Milwaukee area based conferences, by a 10-6 vote.
MPS will present its appeal on Thursday, February 19, in Stevens Point– marking the district’s fourth formal objection during the realignment process.
MPS officials say the proposed move would have serious consequences for students, families, and staff. One major concern is increased travel time for athletic events, which could force students and teachers to miss instructional time due to block scheduling and early dismissals.
District leaders also point to transportation challenges, citing an ongoing bus driver shortage and the inability to rely on Milwaukee County Transit for out-of-county travel– potentially driving up costs.
Board Member: Move Undermines City Conference
Milwaukee Board of School Directors member Megan O’Halloran has publicly opposed the realignment, arguing it weakens the Milwaukee City Conference and disrupts long-standing rivalries.
O’Halloran says removing a school from the conference could also reduce cooperative athletic opportunities for schools with smaller programs, making it harder for some students to participate.
She adds that while arts, theater, and band deserve investment, athletics play a critical role for many students– serving as a primary outlet for self-expression and engagement.
Her concern, she says, is ensuring students in every Milwaukee zip code have equitable access to opportunities that help them thrive.
O’Halloran also says this move was made without engaging with the people who would be affected by this decision the most.
“Essentially there were two schools that used to be in the Southeast Conference that, I believe petitioned to leave the conference. And that petition was granted,” O’Halloran said. ”This was proposed by somebody outside the district. I think the task force took that proposal and kind of ran with it without stopping to engage with the people who would be impacted by this decision. I think that should be the first step is engaging meaningfully with those impacted, to ensure that this is something that benefits all of the students and not just somebody thinks this is a good idea for, you know, a school that they have no direct impact or direct engagement with.”
Parents Say Families Were Left Out of the Process
Parents have also voiced frustration, saying the decision is moving forward without meaningful community input.
One parent, Nora Lahl, says increased travel would place additional strain on families already managing work schedules, childcare, and transportation logistics– making it harder to support student-athletes.
“We have a lot of families in MPS who have kids at two different high schools,” Lahl said. “That’s very common. And that’s one of the great things about being part of MPS, is that kids can choose the school that’s right for them. Being pulled out of the conference means that you may not be able to attend and see your, siblings or, you know, parents having to choose between which sporting event to attend. We want to be able to cheer on our friends, and we don’t want to have to compromise the time in the classroom or, you know, the time traveling to be able to do as much as possible to see each other play.”
MPS officials say feedback from parents, athletes, and coaches will be included in Thursday’s appeal.
What Happens Next?
The WIAA Task Force will hear appeals from impacted schools on February 19. The WIAA Board of Control is scheduled to vote on the task force’s recommendations on March 10.
Schools may appeal directly to the Board at that meeting or submit feedback to board members representing their districts.
If approved, the realignment would take effect during the 2027-28 school year.
