LAKE MILLS — The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education is partnering with three Wisconsin school districts to launch the District Leadership Preparation Pipeline (DLPP) program.
The goal of the program is to help identify and nurture future school leaders, a recent press release from the program states.
“This innovative program aims to transform 25 current school district employees into highly effective school leaders by August of 2025,” the press release says. “The DLPP program is a collaborative effort, bringing together an urban, suburban and rural school district in south central Wisconsin.”
Supported by funding from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s (DWD) Fast Forward Industry Sectors Worker Training grant program, the initiative “leverages the School of Education’s highly regarded 14-month principal preparation curriculum.”
“Good principals and school leaders truly benefit teachers, staff and the education students receive,” DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. “We are eager to partner with the UW–Madison School of Education to help prepare leaders who will support our schools, our educators and our future workforce.”
The participating school districts include the urban Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), which serves over 25,000 students in 52 schools; the Middleton-Cross Plains School District, serving approximately 7,300 students in 12 schools; and the Lake Mills Area School District, serving approximately 1,500 students in three schools.
“This exciting new collaboration... will ensure that 25 excellent staff in those districts go through our rigorous graduate program that will prepare them to take on a variety of school-based leadership roles, most notably principals,” School of Education Dean Diana Hess said.
According to the release, each district has selected participating educators who are “committed to making a difference in the communities they serve and demonstrate potential to advance into school leadership roles.”
Twenty-five individuals will form the first DLPP cohort including 20 from MMSD, three from Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and two from Lake Mills Area School District.
They will begin their coursework at UW–Madison in June.
“Principals are an invaluable part of our commitment to providing every student in our district the best educational experience possible. They set the tone across all of our schools, creating warm, welcoming environments that promote teaching, learning and community-building,” said MMSD’s assistant superintendent of school leadership Carlettra Stanford.
Over the course of 14 months, members of the cohort will continue to work full-time in their current roles while taking courses at times that accommodate their schedules — during the summers and evenings and weekends during the school year.
At the end of the program, educators will earn a master’s degree in K-12 leadership and become eligible to apply for a Wisconsin principal license. Their districts then commit to promoting them into school-based leadership roles beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
One benefit of the DLPP program is that it will help create authentic partnerships among the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, home of UW–Madison’s K-12 Leadership MS program, and an urban, suburban and rural school district, said Barbara Sramek, a clinical professor and director of the K-12 Leadership MS program.
These partnerships across school districts, she added, will allow participants to “gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of those who serve in different locales.”
Research shows that school leaders have a significant impact on teaching and learning outcomes in schools, the press release states.
“Recognizing this, the DLPP program is designed to address the multifaceted responsibilities that principals and other school leaders shoulder, including
mentoring teachers, engaging with the community and supporting the social and emotional needs of students and families.
“The success of a school depends on the success of the principal, and teachers who successfully create a caring and encouraging environment, motivate students, use data to inform instruction and communicate effectively with parents are more likely to replicate those same skills as a school leader,” said Tonya Olson, district administrator of the Lake Mills Area School District.
“We have seen these traits in the two staff members we selected to participate
in this program, and we are excited to further enhance their leadership abilities by providing this opportunity.”
For many educators, pursuing a principal preparation master’s degree program can seem out of reach due to tuition costs and the lack of free time in an already busy work schedule, the press release said. To help ensure DLPP cohort members do not encounter financial barriers to advancing their education, tuition, along with costs for books and supplies, will be fully covered.
About half of the funding for each participant will be provided by the DWD grant, and the remaining costs will be split between scholarships from the School of Education and each participant’s school district.
“This comprehensive support will help ensure that pursuing further education is attainable for all educators within the participating districts who show potential to advance into school leadership roles,” the press release states. “It also underscores the commitment among the partners to developing strong, effective school leaders who can work to foster educational excellence and equity in Wisconsin schools.”
“I have poured my heart into being a classroom teacher, progressing every year,” said Sasha Casper, a MCPASD educator who will participate in the DLPP cohort.
“As I have grown into the teacher I am today, I realize I am worthy of offering my skills in education to benefit students beyond my classroom. I would like to extend my gratitude to my school district, the UW–Madison School of Education and the Department of Workforce Development for this life-changing opportunity.”
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