Wisconsin Gov. Tommy G. Thompson has called for the Milwaukee schools to meet targets in the following four areas by June 2000, threatening a state takeover of the district if the goals are not met.
| Area | Milwaukee 1996-97 | Proposed June 2000 Goals | State Average |
| Attendance rate | 84.3 | 91 | 94.25 |
| Dropout rate | 13.46 | 9 | 2.68 |
| Graduation rate | 86 | 90 | 91.1 |
| 3rd grade reading-test scores | 68 percent proficient | 90 percent of state average | 87 percent proficient |
Note: Dropout rate reflects the percent of students leaving school between 9th and 12th grades.
