Teacher Pledge supports hundreds of Wisconsin educators

UW–Madison's School of Education is empowering tomorrow's educators to make a difference here in the state

Katie Swope, a first-generation college student who graduated in spring 2023, is now a Teacher Pledge alumna. Prior to graduating, she said, “The Teacher Pledge has helped me in many different ways, but the financial assistance is incredibly helpful for someone who is supporting herself. ... All the supports through the School of Education, including the Teacher Pledge, have made things much easier.” Photo: Sarah Maughan

Erika Silva-Singh and Maddy Rauls had two very different paths to teaching, but neither would have been possible without the UW–Madison School of Education Wisconsin Teacher Pledge.

Under the program, students in UW–Madison’s teacher education programs receive the equivalent of in-state tuition and fees, testing, and licensing costs in exchange for pledging to teach in any public or private school in Wisconsin for at least four years — or three years in high-need subject areas or school districts.

That kind of support was what made both Silva-Singh, a single mom and non-traditional student originally from Peru, and Rauls, a Wisconsinite who set her sights on teaching as an undergraduate, able to pursue their dreams.

“The last thing you want if you are going to become a teacher is to worry about getting into a lot of debt,” says Silva-Singh. “The Teacher Pledge was huge and gave me the peace of mind to pursue becoming a teacher.”

Silva-Singh, who grew up speaking Spanish, is pursuing certification that will allow her to teach kindergarten through ninth grade, and English as a second language (ESL) in grades K-12. She plans to graduate in the fall of 2025.

Silva-Singh says she is excited to be in a position to help bilingual students realize their potential in the education system. “As an immigrant who is Hispanic, I’ll be in a position to help others with similar backgrounds overcome their hardships and follow their dreams,” she says. “The financial support from the Teacher Pledge program is really helping make all of this possible.”

“When I first heard about the Teacher Pledge I thought, ‘This is doable!’,” Silva-Singh recalls. “I want to inspire my students. I hope to one day share a message with my students that you can truly achieve what you want if you get the right support. You just need to find the right people and the right institutions, and I have that here at UW–Madison.”

Rauls worked as a daycare provider when she started school, hoping to keep the tide of student loans at bay. When she learned about the Teacher Pledge, she felt like a burden was lifted.

“Before the Teacher Pledge came around, I was really worried about how much debt I was going to have to take on to finish school,” she says. “Taking the Teacher Pledge was a no-brainer. It was a huge relief.”

Rauls is thrilled to finally be teaching in her own classroom.

A fourth grade teacher at Arboretum Elementary in Waunakee, Rauls says she “dove right in” as a new educator.

“I’m so grateful to be doing something I love every day, working with awesome students and other amazing educators,” she says.

As of spring 2024, 773 students have taken the Teacher Pledge. Of those, 354 are already teaching in 88 public school districts and 14 private schools across Wisconsin.

Generous donors make Teacher Pledge extension possible

The entirely donor-funded Teacher Pledge launched — at the nation’s No. 1-ranked school of education — in the fall of 2020. The program is dedicated to strengthening Wisconsin’s educator workforce by incentivizing more students to enroll in UW–Madison’s Teacher Education programs, increasing the number of graduates who stay in Wisconsin to teach, and providing supports so graduates stay with teaching longer, among other goals.

The Teacher Pledge was originally scheduled to run for five years. In March 2022, it was extended one year. In March 2023, a generous gift from Susan and James Patterson extended the initiative through 2026-27. The latest extension, thanks to major support from Mary and Ted Kellner, takes the program through the 2028-29 academic year.

As of April 2024, $33.3 million in private funds have been given to support the Teacher Pledge.

This work is vital at a time when a nationwide teacher shortage continues to generate headlines and frustrate policymakers in search of solutions. A new report released in April by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction found Wisconsin educators continue to leave the state’s workforce “at an alarming rate” and that the retention of teachers is a “significant issue that needs to be addressed.”

UW–Madison Professor Nick Hillman, who directs the university’s Student Success Through Applied Research (SSTAR) Lab, is leading efforts to evaluate and research the Teacher Pledge. Hillman and his team are working to see if the program can aid efforts around Wisconsin and across the nation to build a stronger teacher workforce.

So far, students who take the Teacher Pledge are reporting benefits that include a reduced need for outside work so they can focus on full-time student teaching, less student debt, and improved mental health due to decreased financial stress.

“We’re working hard to support educators and the teaching profession,” says former School of Education Dean Diana Hess. “We’ve been developing a proof of concept with the Teacher Pledge program — and hopefully what we learn from these efforts here in Wisconsin has the potential to be a model for the entire state and beyond.”

Original story by Laurel White

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