American Graduate MPTV & WUWM Partnership
The statistics are striking: The United Way estimates that 40% of Milwaukee’s ninth-graders won’t stay in school until graduation.
More than two-thousand MPS students, between seventh and twelfth grade, dropout of school each year. This dropout problem has ramifications throughout our society–from the jobless rate to crime to health care.
Nationally, the vast majority of students enter high school expecting to get a diploma. So, where is the disconnect?
Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) and WUWM are teaming up on a project called American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen. This national initiative is spearheaded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in partnership with the America’s Promise Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Between now and the end of 2011, MPTV and WUWM will produce and air a series of reports and interviews. Segments will focus on the dropout rate and practical efforts to improve the situation.
Stories and interviews will air on MPTV’s Black Nouveau, Adelante and The 4th Street Forum as well as on WUWM’s Lake Effect. A town hall meeting moderated by MPTV’s Dan Jones will address the issue will be broadcast on December 12th on Channel 10.1.
Lake Effect’s Executive Producer, Mitch Teich, will moderate a community panel discussion that will air on MPTV. Portions from this event will also air on Lake Effect.
MPTV is a viewer-supported service of MATC 
