{"id":89093,"date":"2021-01-29T10:15:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T16:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/?p=89093"},"modified":"2024-09-27T09:59:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T14:59:49","slug":"m-cubed-dedicated-to-closing-equity-gaps-through-pandemic-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/m-cubed-dedicated-to-closing-equity-gaps-through-pandemic-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"M-Cubed dedicated to closing equity gaps through pandemic and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"

Milwaukee\u2019s three largest urban institutions of public education share a common goal that has taken on added urgency.<\/p>\n

Partnering through the M3 <\/sup>initiative<\/a>, 51ÁÔÆæ, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Milwaukee Public Schools are working to eliminate equity gaps in education. The collaboration already has helped to increase MPS high school graduation rates, helped get more students prepared for college by completing federal financial aid forms, and started a dual enrollment program to help MPS students get a taste of taking college classes.<\/p>\n

The leaders of M3 <\/sup>(pronounced M-Cubed) say more work remains to eliminate inequities that existed long before the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, a recent study<\/a> from 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s Center for Economic Development found that the Black community in Milwaukee was generally worse off in 2020 compared to 40 or 50 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe issue of the achievement gap and inequities \u2026 this is simply holding too many people back because we know that education is the pathway to employment, income, social mobility and so many other things in our community,\u201d 51ÁÔÆæ Chancellor Mark Mone said.<\/p>\n

He spoke Wednesday during the latest session of\u00a0the M3\u00a0<\/sup>Education Transformed virtual discussion series<\/a>. Mone joined MATC President Vicki Martin and MPS Superintendent Keith Posley during the webinar moderated by Eve Hall, president and CEO of the Milwaukee Urban League.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get this right,\u201d Mone said about the M3 <\/sup>mission to eliminate equity gaps. \u201cThat\u2019s an imperative that we all feel and we all own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four years after its official launch, the multifaceted initiative continues to grow. For example, more than 200 MPS students will have gained a collective 2,500 college credits through the M3<\/sup> College Connections program by the end of the Spring 2021 semester.<\/p>\n

The program allows MPS students to attend MATC and 51ÁÔÆæ while in 12th<\/sup> grade and complete up to 20 college credits before high school graduation. Enrollment has grown steadily since the inaugural 32-member class in 2019.<\/p>\n

Other key stats:<\/p>\n