Milwaukee Montessori Discrimination

In May 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement with Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS) following an investigation into disability discrimination. The DOJ identified ten families whose children were denied equal access to education due to MMS’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations and other unlawful practices.

Notably, longtime Head of School Dr. Monica Van Aken “retired” just days before the settlement was finalized. Van Aken also led the school during a prior federal sanction in 2014 for similar violations. Despite the repeated failures in oversight, Kate Lewis remains as Board Chair, a position she held during both the 2014 and 2025 cases.

Under the current agreement, MMS is required to revise its policies, implement staff training on disability rights, and report regularly to the DOJ over the next three years.

*This site will be updated with new information as it is received and verified.