UW–Madison’s School of Education is extending its Wisconsin Teacher Pledge for a third time, according to The Capital Times. The move aims to address statewide teacher shortages.
The program will now go on for another two years, lasting through the 2028–29 academic year thanks to $8 million in donations, including $4 million from philanthropists Mary and Ted Kellner.
The program covers in-state tuition and fees and testing and licensing costs for teacher education students who make a commitment to work in a Wisconsin school for four years — or three for those who work in high-need subject areas or school districts.
The donor-funded initiative was launched in 2020. The School of Education has raised $33.3 million to support it so far. Nearly 800 students have taken advantage of the opportunity since its launch, and over 350 program graduates currently teach in 88 public schools and over a dozen private schools statewide.
