To: WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force (Attn: Ronald Rasmussen & Bryan Mogensen)

CC: Ronald Reagan High School Administration; MPS Board of Directors

From: Concerned Reagan High School parents, students, educators, and community members

Date: February 2, 2026  
Purpose of This Petition 
We submit this petition to formally oppose the proposed re-alignment of Ronald Reagan High School from the Milwaukee City Conference (MCC) to the Southeast Conference (SEC). While conference realignment is intended to promote “competitive balance,” this proposal ignores the serious academic, transportation, equity, and safety consequences it would impose on Reagan students during the 2026–2027 school year. We respectfully request that this realignment be rejected or paused until a formal Transportation and Academic Impact Study is completed.  
1. Academic Deficit: Loss of Instructional Time 
Reagan’s International Baccalaureate (IB) and College Prep programs rely on 90-minute block scheduling. SEC travel makes this schedule incompatible with athletics participation. Complete Loss of 5th Block:
To reach Kenosha schools (Bradford, Tremper, Indian Trail) for 4:30 PM start times, teams must depart by approximately 2:15 PM to account for I-94 rush hour traffic. This causes athletes to miss 100% of their final 90-minute instructional block on competition days.

 Cumulative Instructional Loss:
Over a 10-week season with two away games per week, a student-athlete will miss 15–18 hours of direct instruction in a single subject—nearly 20% of total semester seat-time for that course. This level of loss is academically negligent for a College Prep and IB institution.
Which academic programs are we prepared to compromise to satisfy this realignment?
Which teachers or academic leaders have been consulted about the impact of repeated instructional loss, fatigue, and late-night returns on GPA, testing, and college readiness?  
2. Transportation Capacity: Staffing and Cost Reality 
This proposal assumes a transportation system that Milwaukee no longer has. Driver Shortage:
As of early 2026, Wisconsin school bus driver employment remains 9.5% below 2019 levels. Major contractors are already relying on “creative scheduling” to cover basic daily routes.

 Trip Duration Problem:
A City Conference game occupies a bus for about 2 hours.
An SEC trip to Kenosha or Racine requires a 6–7 hour commitment.
In a market with a roughly 10% driver vacancy rate, this extended usage will inevitably lead to JV and Freshman game cancellations due to lack of drivers.

 Financial Impact:
With 2026 state-mandated transportation contract minimums exceeding $5.00 per mile, repeated 60-mile round trips represent an irresponsible and avoidable expense for MPS.
How can this plan be approved without written guarantees from transportation providers that they can staff these routes?
Are decision-makers prepared to tell JV and Freshman athletes that forfeited games and shortened seasons are a likely outcome?  
3. Equity and Safety: Public Transit Barriers 
Recent changes to Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) service further exacerbate inequities. Route Reductions:
The January 11, 2026 MCTS Service Plan reduced off-peak frequency on Route 20 (S. 20th St) and Route 55 (Layton Ave) to address a $14 million budget gap—routes heavily used by Reagan families.

 Late-Night Risk:
A student returning from Kenosha around 10:30 PM who misses their connection may now be stranded in a system with fewer options and reduced safety margins. These changes effectively prevent families who rely on public transit from attending away games.
Does this realignment not implicitly make parental involvement a privilege reserved for families with private transportation?
How does this align with MPS’s stated commitment to equity, access, and student safety?  
4. Safety and Liability: I-94 Travel Risks

This proposal sends teenage athletes and an aging driver workforce—25% of whom are over age 65—onto the I-94 corridor during: Winter rush hour departures (around 4:00 PM) Late-night return windows (often 10:00 PM or later) This creates an unnecessary and significant safety and liability risk. Has the Task Force conducted a formal risk assessment addressing winter driving conditions, driver fatigue, cross-county mileage, and late-night travel? If an accident occurs on a 60-mile trip that was not required, who bears responsibility for that decision? Conclusion and Formal Request We must ask: Who requested Reagan High School’s inclusion in this realignment?

 Why is it necessary to remove Reagan from the MCC and place it in the SEC?

 What problem does this solve that justifies the academic, safety, and equity costs imposed on our students? This proposal resolves a WIAA scheduling issue at the direct expense of Reagan students’ education, safety, extracurricular access, and family involvement. We formally petition the WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force to reject or suspend this proposal at the upcoming March 10, 2026 meeting until a comprehensive, public Transportation and Academic Impact Study is completed.