Milwaukee Schools Receive $5M Mental Health Grant

Funding will help recruit and train more school psychologists to support student well-being.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Milwaukee Public Schools has been awarded a $5 million federal grant to recruit and train more school psychologists through partnerships with local colleges. The four-year grant will allow MPS to expand its pipeline of mental health professionals and provide additional support for students' academic, social, and emotional needs.

Why it matters

The grant comes at a critical time, as demand for student mental health services has increased significantly since the pandemic. This initiative will help MPS build on recent investments to improve staffing ratios and provide more comprehensive mental health support for its students.

The details

The U.S. Department of Education awarded the grant to MPS, which will use the funding to establish internship and practicum placements for graduate students from Alverno College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The district plans to train at least 24 school psychology students and complete 56 internship and practicum placements over the four-year grant period, with the goal of hiring at least five of those graduates as full-time school psychologists.

  • MPS received the $5 million grant on February 11, 2026.
  • The grant will fund the program for four years.

The players

Milwaukee Public Schools

The largest school district in Wisconsin, serving over 75,000 students.

Brenda Cassellius

Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Myah Herro

Supervisor in the MPS Office of Psychological Services.

Alverno College

A private college in Milwaukee that partners with MPS on the school psychology program.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

A public university that also partners with MPS on the school psychology program.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We know that demand for student mental health services and support has increased exponentially since the pandemic, and schools are often the first place that students turn for help. This new funding allows MPS to develop the district's own school psychology professionals, providing them with firsthand experience and professional training to support our students' academic, social and emotional well-being.”

— Brenda Cassellius, Superintendent, Milwaukee Public Schools (jsonline.com)

“This partnership not only gives Alverno students the chance to learn directly within Milwaukee Public Schools, it also allows them to have an immediate, meaningful impact on the students they're serving. It's a win-win.”

— Jessica Willenbrink, School Psychology Program Director, Alverno College (jsonline.com)

What’s next

The district plans to hire at least five of the graduate students trained through the program as full-time school psychologists by the end of the four-year grant period.

The takeaway

This grant will allow Milwaukee Public Schools to significantly expand its mental health support for students, providing more school psychologists and other professionals to address the growing need for comprehensive social-emotional services in the district.