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Larry Miller (Wisconsin)
Larry Miller was a member of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors in Wisconsin, representing District 5. Miller assumed office in 2009. Miller left office on April 26, 2021.
Miller ran for re-election to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors to represent District 5 in Wisconsin. Miller won in the general election on April 4, 2017.
Biography
Miller earned a bachelor's degree in education, history, and political science from the University of Wisconsin and a master's degree from National Louis University in educational leadership. His work experience includes serving as an adjunct professor at Marquette University, as an editor for Rethinking Schools, and as a teacher and administrator in Milwaukee Public Schools. He and his wife, Ellen, have two children, both of whom graduated from the district.[1][2]
Board membership
2015-2016
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted unanimously on 88.74 percent of its votes between the annual organizational meeting on April 28, 2015, and the regular board meeting on November 17, 2016. The voting data indicated that Mark Sain, Larry Miller, Carol Voss, Terrence Falk, and Claire Zautke were the majority faction on the board, and Annie Woodward and Wendell Harris Sr. were the minority faction on the board. Michael Bonds and Tatiana Joseph did not vote consistently enough with either group to be included in the majority or minority faction.[3]
2014-2015
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted unanimously on 75.89 percent of its votes between January 1, 2014, and April 23, 2015. The voting data indicated that Michael Bonds, Meagan Holman, Mark Sain, Jeff Spence, and Claire Zautke were the governing majority on the board, and Larry Miller, Terrence Falk, and Tatiana Joseph were the minority faction on the board. Annie Woodward did not vote with either group consistently enough to be considered part of the majority or minority faction.[3]
Elections
2017
Four of the nine seats on the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors were up for general election on April 4, 2017. In her bid for re-election to District 4, incumbent Annie Woodward defeated challenger Aisha Carr. In District 5, incumbent Larry Miller defeated challenger Kahri Phelps Okoro. District 6 incumbent Tatiana Joseph and District 7 incumbent Claire Zautke did not file to run for re-election, leaving both seats open for newcomers. Tony Baez and Jonatan Zuñiga ran for the District 6 seat, and Joey Balistreri and Paula Phillips ran for the District 7 seat. Baez and Phillips won election to the board.[4][5]
Results
| Milwaukee Public Schools, District 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Larry Miller Incumbent |
65.72% | 4,794 |
| Kahri Phelps Okoro | 33.86% | 2,470 |
| Write-in votes | 0.42% | 31 |
| Total Votes | 7,295 | |
| Source: Milwaukee City Election Commission, "April 4, 2017 - Spring Election: Final Official Results," accessed May 2, 2017 | ||
Funding
Miller began the race with an existing account balance of $465.04 from his previous campaign. He reported $12,743.38 in contributions and $12,467.95 in expenditures to City of Milwaukee Election Commission, which left his campaign with $740.47 on hand in the election.[6]
Endorsements
Miller was endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
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Miller was also endorsed by former officials and community members. Click here for a list of his supporters.
2013
| Milwaukee Public Schools, District 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2013 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Larry Miller |
100% | 4,493 | |
| Total Votes | 4,493 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Election Watch, "Larry Miller," accessed September 22, 2014 | ||||
2009
| Milwaukee Public Schools, District 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2009 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Larry Miller |
100% | 2,242 | |
| Total Votes | 2,242 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Election Watch, "Larry Miller," accessed September 22, 2014 | ||||
Campaign themes
2017
Miller highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:
| “ | Strengthen Teaching My primary goal is to strengthen teaching and learning, by teaching to the whole child. This can only be done by enhancing the quality of experience for each student. That experience must be based in cultural relevance and school cultures that embrace student learning. Fundamental to teaching to the whole child includes the arts, music, physical education, exploratory learning, travel, extra-curricular offerings, sports and a myriad of new experiences. Cultural Relevance Denying cultural expression means limiting the expression of unique perspectives on life and the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation. School Readiness We want to unite the whole community-government, higher education, childcare and health care providers, parents, business, community, congregations, all schools—to come together to advance the health and learning of our youngest citizens. Bilingualism For English as a second language students (ESL), native language and culture have a major role in education by affirming the importance of teaching English skills gradually while increasing their bilingual potential. This is accomplished by providing the opportunity to maintain and further develop their native language skills. Research shows that the study foreign languages can lead students to score better on standardized tests in the categories of math, reading, and vocabulary. The research shows that memory, perceptive, and native language skills improve. Also, studies have shown that study of foreign language can impact staving off Alzheimer’s and dementia. Community Schools Cap Voucher Expansion Refuse funding to programs that discriminate. Voucher programs can sidestep basic constitutional protections such as freedom of speech. They do not have to provide the same level of second-language or special-education services. They can suspend or expel students without legal due process. They can disregard state law prohibiting discrimination against students on grounds of sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or marital or parental status. Establish full disclosure for voucher schools including finances, pay structure for staff and board, demographics of students, performance, staff licensure, governance members, policies, and compliance with open meetings and records laws. Create a process for withdrawing public funding from voucher schools based on performance accountability. (The OSPP is law for takeover and closure of public schools but not private voucher schools.) Increased Funding |
” |
| —Larry Miller (2017)[15] | ||
See also
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Milwaukee Public Schools, "Larry Miller," accessed September 22, 2014
- ↑ Larry Miller for Milwaukee Public Schools District 5," About Larry," accessed March 23, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Milwaukee Public Schools, "Proceedings (Minutes) of the Board," accessed January 26, 2017
- ↑ City of Milwaukee Election Commission, "2017 Spring Election Candidates," accessed January 4, 2017
- ↑ Milwaukee City Election Commission, "Latest Election Results: April 4, 2017 - Spring Election," accessed April 4, 2017
- ↑ City of Milwaukee Election Commission, "Campaign Finance Reports 2017 Election Cycle," accessed August 1, 2017
- ↑ Urban Milwaukee, "Press Release: Wisconsin Working Families Party Endorses Candidates for Milwaukee Board of School Directors," January 18, 2017
- ↑ Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, "MTEA Endorsements," accessed March 14, 2017
- ↑ Larry Miller for Milwaukee Public Schools District 5, "Endorsements," accessed March 30, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, "Spring Election Endorsed Candidates," March 9, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Gazette, "Endorsements: Milwaukee School Board Candidates," March 23, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, "WIARA Spring Election Endorsements," March 17, 2017
- ↑ Shepherd Express, "Four School Board Seats Up for Election on April 4," March 28, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Larry Miller for Milwaukee Public Schools District 5, "Issues," accessed March 14, 2017
| Milwaukee Public Schools elections in 2017 | |
| Milwaukee County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 4, 2017 |
| Candidates: | District 4: • Incumbent, Annie Woodward • Aisha Carr District 5: • Incumbent, Larry Miller • Kahri Phelps Okoro District 6: • Tony Baez • Jonatan Zuñiga District 7: • Joey Balistreri • Paula Phillips |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
