• Posted December 29, 2025

Officials Declare 99 Wisconsin City Schools Safe After Major Lead Cleanup

Officials say nearly 100 public schools in Wisconsin’s largest city are now safe after months of urgent repairs to fix lead paint hazards found earlier this year.

The work wrapped up about two weeks ahead of a Dec. 31 deadline, even after the city of Milwaukee temporarily lost federal support during the cleanup. All affected buildings have now been inspected and cleared, according to Milwaukee Public Schools.

The district spent about 10 months repairing and repainting older school buildings, covering roughly 7 million square feet, including 2,700 classrooms and shared spaces.

“This is an important milestone for the MPS community,” Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said. “We have asked so much of our students, families and staff over the past 10 months as we addressed this issue with the urgency it required … because of the hard work of so many dedicated teams in our district — we can move forward with the peace of mind that our schools are safe.”

The effort began after a student was diagnosed in January 2025 with elevated lead levels in their blood. Investigators later traced the likely source to flaking paint in a basement bathroom at the child’s school.

Follow-up inspections found lead hazards in 99 schools, all built before 1978, when lead paint was still legal. Some buildings had not been well-maintained, officials said.

At six schools with the highest contamination, students were temporarily relocated or parts of buildings were closed. Students at the remaining 90-plus schools stayed in place while repairs were completed.

The cleanup continued even after federal support was briefly cut off. 

In April, staff from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who were helping Milwaukee were laid off during nationwide workforce cuts, limiting guidance at a critical time. 

That team was reinstated in June and the work continued, CNN reported.

“The City of Milwaukee Health Department is proud to have gone above and beyond to protect the city’s children, and we remain committed to this work as long as it takes,” Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis said.

The city estimates it spent at least $43 million on lead removal and safety upgrades.

To prevent future problems, Milwaukee Public Schools says it has added staff and new safeguards, including:

• Expanded training for school employees

• 39 new custodial positions

• Four district operations managers who visit schools daily to report any issues immediately 

• Lead paint inspections in all buildings

• Ongoing environmental safety checks

• Full building reviews every three years

More information

The World Health Organization has more on lead poisoning.

SOURCE: CNN, Dec. 26, 2025