The Current and Future Educator Workforce in Wisconsin's Rural Schools. WCER Working Paper No. 2025-4
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| Title: | The Current and Future Educator Workforce in Wisconsin's Rural Schools. WCER Working Paper No. 2025-4 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jenny Seelig, Bradley Carl, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) |
| Source: | Wisconsin Center for Education Research. 2025. |
| Availability: | Wisconsin Center for Education Research. School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1025 West Johnson Street Suite 785, Madison, WI 53706. Tel: 608-263-4200; Fax: 608-263-6448; e-mail: uw-wcer@education.wisc.edu; Web site: https://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 54 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Rural Schools, Teacher Supply and Demand, Teacher Education Programs, Teacher Persistence, Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Shortage, Teacher Characteristics, Partnerships in Education, State Standards, Enrollment Trends, Educational Change, Preservice Teacher Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Wisconsin |
| Abstract: | This paper builds upon previous work investigating Wisconsin's rural educator workforce by (a) summarizing key characteristics of the "current" teacher workforce in Wisconsin's rural schools and how these may have changed over time; and (b) documenting ways in which the state's approved educator preparation programs (EPPs) are helping attract, prepare, and retain "future" rural educators. We find that rural districts have uneven access and relationships with the state's EPPs, which is largely (although not exclusively) a function of their physical distance from EPPs. We also find a wide range of programs and partnerships that EPPs have developed to help meet the staffing needs of rural schools statewide, such as dual-credit courses and placements specifically in rural districts for practicum and student teaching experiences, although we recommend that EPPs and other postsecondary institutions review the extent to which these are intentionally rural-focused. We close by summarizing several key issues that emerged from our inquiry into how Wisconsin's EPPs and other organizations are supporting both "current" and "future" rural teachers and offer potential policy recommendations for addressing these issues. [Funding provided by the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership at the Universities of Wisconsin.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679167 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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