The federal education department abruptly ended a University of Wisconsin-Madison grant that pays for students to train as special education teachers in Milwaukee Public Schools classrooms. Education Department. The department said the grants were used to train teachers on "divisive ideologies," such as critical race theory; diversity, equity and inclusion; social justice activism and white supremacy.
She said the university cast a wide net to recruit program participants and did not focus on people of a particular identity. The program aimed to offset the special education teacher shortage in the state's largest district, where one in five students have a disability. The grant covered living stipends for 36 students who would work as special education teachers alongside experienced mentors, while also earning their master's degrees in special education.
In exchange, the students committed to working as special education teachers in an MPS school for three years after graduation. Wilkerson said she was notified of the grant's termination in a p. The termination took effect earlier that day. Wisconsin Public Radio first reported on the grant's termination. Wilkerson and another professor, Beverly Trezek, led the project together after securing the grant in The first group of 10 students started the month program last summer.
Another 14 were slated to start this summer, with seven students having already been admitted. UW-Madison secured funding elsewhere to cover the last five months of the program for the first group. But Wilkerson said she's now scrambling to find funding for the second group. The stipends are a key part of the program. Students take a full load of classes in addition to working in the classroom. It's unlikely they would have time to also work a part-time job that could cover their rent and other living expenses.
Students' tuition was unaffected by the grant's termination because it is covered through Teacher Pledge, a fully donor-funded program. Even though UW-Madison found funding to cover the students' stipends, at least one other part of the program has been lost, Wilkerson said. The grant covered the salary of a program coordinator who provided support to students and mentors. This person was moved to a different project, so they did not lose their job. UW-Madison is appealing the grant's termination.
