Wyatt Academy stays open despite efforts to close school [Video]

Cynthia Wagner created the "Clear the List" initiative urging community members to help teachers purchase supplies for their classrooms and students.

NEW AT SIX. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TURNING TO COUNTY LEADERS AFTER COMING UP ROUGHLY $7 MILLION SHORT OF WHAT IT NEEDS IN ORDER TO BUILD A NEW HIGH SCHOOL. THE DISTRICT RECEIVED AROUND. $57 MILLION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE NORTH CAROLINA LOTTERY, BUT IT NEEDS ABOUT 7 MILLION MORE. THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL IS 60 YEARS OLD, AND SUSTAINED EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE IN 2020. ITS ALSO NOT ADA COMPLIANT IF THE DISTRICT DOESNT RECEIVE THE EXTRA $7 MILLION NEEDED. THE MONEY THEY HAVE WILL BE RETURNED TO THE STATE AND REALLOCATED TO ANOTHER DISTRICT. BUT SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WOULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR STUDENTS. I KNOW THAT BETWEEN OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION, THAT EVERYBODY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WANTS WHATS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE DONT INVEST IN OUR YOUTH, WHAT ARE WE INVESTING IN? PARENTS AND SCHOOL STAFFERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND A MEETING WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS AT 2 P.M. THURSDAY, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING THAT IS TOMORROW. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD LIKE A DECISION MADE BY AUGUST 7TH, AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMISSIONER MICHELLE LUFFMAN RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, QUOTE, A $7 MILLION ASK IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, BUT I BELIEVE WE CANNOT LET THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY PASS BY. US, AND WE MUST USE SOME CREATIVITY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. FO

The University of Arizona is increasing its efforts to recruit students living in small towns and rural communities across the state.

The scandal over finances at Milwaukee Public Schools is far from over. A recall effort to remove four school board members is moving forward, but not without controversy. MPS School Board Recall Collaborative announced Wednesday they collected 37,000 signatures out of their 60,000 signature goal.Milwaukee Public Schools Board Vice President Jilly Gokalgandhi took questions from the Milwaukee Press Club about the district's financial scandal that was first publicized in May. It would ultimately lead to the abrupt departure of the school superintendent and backlash against the board. "I completely understand and respect the will of the voters," Gokalgandhi said. "I am trying to focus right now on my job and what I'm doing and making sure that our kids in September are prepared to come back to school."The money mess sparked angry taxpayers to start a recall movement. "We see the results of a failed public district so it's personal to us," Dr. Tamika Johnson, who is leading the efforts, said at a news conference Wednesday. The group says MPS Board President Marva Herndon, Gokalgandhi, Erika Siemsen and Missy Zombor deceived the public when voters were asked to approve a $252 million referendum. "This recall is recalling incompetent board members," Johnson said. The Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association spoke out Wednesday about the group leading the recall, accusing the group of being "shrouded in secrecy, ethical questions." In a statement, a spokesperson for MTEA said, "The 'recall collaborative' is led by individuals with close ties to private voucher and charter schools." "There's no information about where funding is coming from for this recall effort, even though the recall collaborative has advertised that they have paid positions for canvassing, that they have a mailbox that they have purchased, etc.," MTEA President Ingrid Walker-Henry said. WISN 12 News obtained the campaign finance reports the group submitted to the state, which includes the mailing address for a mailbox in Bayside. There's documentation for donations of food and drinks for volunteers, but no documentation of the amount of money paid to canvassers. "The voters of Milwaukee deserve to know who is actually funding those canvassers," Walker Henry said. In a news release, MPS School Board Recall Collaborative detailed paid canvassing work that started last week. "Our deepest gratitude goes to all our committed volunteers and those who signed up for paid canvassing work, which started this past Saturday, July 19th, at both Brady Fest and Garfield's Day," The MPS School Board Recall Collaborative said. At a Wednesday news conference at Gordon Park, WISN 12 News reporter Kendall Keys asked leaders of the group about the paid canvassers."Why are those payments not included in your campaign finance reports?" Keys asked."Nothing is being paid by us," Nicole Johnson said."But it's through the campaign. Typically you would have to report that," Keys said."Because they haven't been paid," Johnson said.Leaders of the group went on to say canvassers would eventually be paid by "anonymous donors" when the group verifies the signatures collected. "Once we have monies that are given to us, that information will be on the financial reports," Johnson said.The group has until August 13 to finish collecting signatures. The amount of signatures needed varies for each board member, from a little more than 5,000 to nearly 45,000 signatures, depending on which district they represent.