State superintendent statement on Wisconsin Teacher Pledge program extension

MADISON — State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly released the following statement today regarding the University of Wisconsin-Madison announcing it will extend its Wisconsin Teacher Pledge program through the 2028-29 academic year because of a $4 million contribution. The program covers the cost of in-state tuition and fees, testing, and licensing costs for students in the school’s teacher education programs.

 

“Wisconsin needs innovation and investment to train more teachers and get them to stay in the profession. Mary and Ted Kellner deserve much credit for recognizing this and going above and beyond to support aspiring teachers, by donating to extend UW-Madison's Wisconsin Teacher Pledge for years to come. We need to invest in our teachers and our public schools, and commitments like the one from the Kellners help make the profession more attractive in our state. I’m committed to working to find ways to replicate this across the state and identify ever more creative ways to address Wisconsin’s real and growing education workforce challenges.”