| ukee…home of the Packers and the | | | | suburban district they wish to attend are also |
| Cheeseheads. It is also home of some very interesting | | | | considered when approving the transfer request. |
| programs within the Milwaukee Schools. Some of | | | | Another program that Milwaukee Schools offer is a |
| these programs include the TABS program (Truancy | | | | variety of choices in types of schools: |
| Abatement and Burglary Suppression), the Six Trait | | | | 1.Neighborhood Schools |
| Writing Model, School Choice, and Chapter 220: the | | | | 2.Neighborhood Specialty Schools |
| Voluntary Student Transfer Program. | | | | 3.Charter Schools |
| The Six Trait Writing Model is a method used in | | | | 4.Citywide Specialty Schools |
| Milwaukee Schools to teach writing. It was developed | | | | 5.Contracted Agency Schools |
| to give Milwaukee Schools’ writing teachers a | | | | 6.Partnership Schools |
| uniform way to teach and evaluate writing. The six | | | | 7.Small High Schools |
| traits are as follows: | | | | 8.Other Schools |
| • Ideas: Refers to the content, or main theme. | | | | A fourth program instituted by the Milwaukee Schools |
| Can be considered the heart of the message. | | | | is the TABS program. The Truancy and Burglary |
| • Organization: The internal structure of the | | | | Suppression program is in place to intervene with |
| writing (i.e. beginning, middle, end) | | | | students who are considered high-risk due to |
| • Voice: The personal voice of the author | | | | consistent absences. The TABS program began in |
| comes through. This gives the reader the sense that a | | | | Milwaukee Schools on November 29, 1993. The |
| real person is speaking via the writing. | | | | mission of TABS is to intervene with students who are |
| • Word Choice: The use of precise, colorful, | | | | truant, deterring them from involvement in criminal |
| and rich words to communicate. | | | | activities. This mission is accomplished through a |
| • Sentence Fluency: The writing flows together, | | | | collaborative team approach. Members of the team |
| often with a rhythm or cadence. | | | | include the students themselves, their parents, their |
| • Conventions: Mechanical correctness, including | | | | Milwaukee School, law enforcement, and the Boys and |
| spelling, grammar, and punctuation. | | | | Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. This program is |
| Teachers in Milwaukee Schools have found that giving | | | | carried out by a dedicated group of 10 professionals. |
| children specific guidelines and expectations as they | | | | The Milwaukee Police Department provides four |
| form a foundation of skills creates much more fluid, | | | | officers who work in teams of two, combing the |
| coherent and creative writers. | | | | streets during the day, looking for truant students. The |
| Another program instituted by Milwaukee Schools is | | | | officers escort the students to one of two centers |
| Chapter 220, also known as the Voluntary Student | | | | where the Milwaukee Schools provide two school |
| Transfer Program. This program aims to racially | | | | liaisons who complete an initial evaluation with the |
| integrate Milwaukee Schools within the district. Minority | | | | student and access current attendance information. |
| students (African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and | | | | Authorities notify the student’s parents, and |
| Native Americans) may attend any of 23 suburban | | | | instruct them to come to the center to pick up their |
| districts that participate in the program. The students | | | | child. TABS also employs a Milwaukee Schools’ |
| may choose from schools depending upon the | | | | social worker who provides follow-up activities with |
| transportation region they live in. Available seats in the | | | | habitual truants and their families. |
