Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is set to enhance its lead testing efforts for children through a substantial federal grant of nearly $400,000. This initiative comes more than a year after a significant lead crisis that necessitated the temporary relocation of students from eight schools.
The Milwaukee Health Department has labeled the situation a “district-wide public health emergency.” The crisis was triggered when a student tested positive for lead poisoning in January of the previous year, leading to the discovery of lead hazards in various older school buildings.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided the grant to the Milwaukee Health Department last fall. Most of this funding is being allocated to MPS to facilitate free blood lead screening clinics during school hours, according to a department statement.
Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis highlighted the importance of these screenings, stating, “By providing testing directly in these schools, the health department can identify elevated blood lead levels in Milwaukee children earlier, begin our investigation sooner, and connect families to resources quicker.”
In December, officials announced that lead stabilization work had been completed at 99 schools. MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius emphasized the district’s shift from emergency response to proactive prevention and care. “Exposure often happens outside of school, especially in older homes,” Cassellius noted. “And testing is the best way to know if you have been exposed.”
The CDC advises that no amount of lead in the blood is safe for children, particularly those under the age of six, who are most vulnerable. Tyler Weber, Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Health, mentioned that the CDC grant would enable around 30 to 40 screening clinics in the coming months. “We’ll see if there’s more funding that can be added,” Weber said. “But this is a strong start.”
The federal grant is intended to support screening for up to 8,000 MPS students across numerous schools, as detailed in a Milwaukee Health Department blog post. Additionally, a $750,000 allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected for further testing, though it has yet to be received.
In collaboration with NOVIR, the district has already conducted two clinics, testing 240 children, and plans to release the results soon. A recent clinic at Keefe Avenue School aimed to test over 100 students. Amy Ward, a nurse with NOVIR, explained that a venous sample would be taken if a child’s lead level is at or above 3.5 micrograms per deciliter during an initial finger poke test; this method can yield more accurate results.
Six additional clinics are scheduled, as noted on the district website. The Coalition on Lead Emergency (COLE) has also received grant funds to engage in community outreach, with efforts to inform families about the free testing options. Shyquetta McElroy, COLE’s executive director, remarked, “I think that we’re getting to a place where MPS can be proactive with the lead testing events, rather than reactive.”
Initially, the clinics will focus on schools serving younger children, with some sessions open to the community to allow older students to participate in testing.
