Interested in becoming a teacher and changing the lives of children? Consider supporting your own community and focusing on the most underserved populations by joining the UW–Madison Special Education Teacher (SET) Residency Program. In 14 months, you will graduate with a master’s degree in special education and Wisconsin licensure in special education. You will also have a networking partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and guaranteed teaching opportunity in one of our 24 schools, within our partner districts.
Students who are selected for the UW-SET program may be eligible for:
- A living stipend or continued employment through their district
- Funding through Teacher Pledge and TEACH Grant
- Wisconsin K-12 Cross-Categorical Special Education Teacher certification
- Master’s degree in Special Education
- 2 years of induction support from UW-Madison faculty and staff after graduation
A total of 40 individuals will receive funding from this grant over the next 4 years, ending in summer 2023. If you are interested in being considered for funding from this grant, please make a note of your interest in teaching in one of the UW-SET partner districts in your personal statement.
Special Ed RFI - Want more information?
“Teachers have three loves: the love of learning, the love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together."
Scott Hayden
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Eligibility
- Previously earned bachelor’s degree
- Minimum of 3.0 GPA
- Seeking initial special education teaching license
- U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency Status
Application Process
- The program you will apply for is “SPECIAL EDUCATION MS – TEACHER CERTIFICATION”(we do not have a separate application process for the UW-SET Program.) Please visit Program Page for application deadlines.
- Indicate in your personal statement that you are applying for UW-SET
- If you have a preference in which partner district you are placed in, also indicate that in your personal statement
- 1 Letter of Application
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Application Fee
Coursework
Courses will be held in person at UW-Madison in the evenings. Most summer courses are held online with the possibility of some on-campus work. Depending on the location of your residency, we will be flexible and will work with you and your placement site to make sure that you can attend in-person courses. Courses will prepare you to teach special education at the K-12 level and will fulfill all of the requirements for licensure as well as a Master’s degree. Here is a general outline of the required courses:
RPSE 300 Individuals with Disabilities- 3 cr
RPSE 330 Behavior Analysis: Applications for Persons with Disabilities- 3 cr
RPSE 464 Diagnosis and Assessment- 3 cr
RPSE 515 Access to the General Curriculum- 3 cr
RPSE 465 Language & Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities- 3 cr
RPSE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavior Disabilities- 3 cr
RPSE 472 Methods in Transition and Vocational Education- 3 cr
RPSE 605 Education Foundations – 3 cr
RPSE 365 Teaching Mathematics in Inclusive Settings- 4 cr
RPSE 700 Research Methods- 3 cr
RPSE 630 Teaching Practicum- 2 cr
Residency/Student Teaching Full time at a school in one of the eight partner districts – 12 cr
Living Stipend and Tuition
As part of the program, you will receive a stipend. The stipend is distributed over the course of your residency. The funds are intended to cover living costs and tuition while you are in school and completing your residency. For more detailed information on tuition costs, please contact us.
You can apply for Teacher Pledge funding to assist with tuition costs.
Support After Graduation
Upon graduating and obtaining licensure, you will be given hiring and job preference in one of UW-SET’s partner districts.
You will also be given 2 years of induction support, delivered by the School of Education faculty and staff. Supports include but are not limited to professional development, participation in an online community of practice, teacher identity work, and site visits if needed. It is our goal that you have a successful transition from your residency to full time teaching.
Faculty and Staff
Kimber Wilkerson
Professor in Rehabilitation and Special Education. UW-SET Principal Investigator, and Director of the Teacher Education Center
Melinda Leko
Professor in Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, UW-SET Co-Principal Investigator
Tessa Nelson-Neigum
UW-SET Program Coordinator
Residency Partner Districts
Improving access to special education for underserved students.
Southern Wisconsin Partner Districts
Central Wisconsin Partner Districts
Western Wisconsin Partner Districts
Explore Other Funding Opportunities
PROJECT INCLUDE
Project INCLUDE (Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Language in Universally Designed Education) promotes interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars from two different programs, Special Education and Speech Language Pathology, with a focus on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology for children and youth who have significant intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Response-to-Intervention
This training grant, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, will improve the quality and supply of personnel who serve children with disabilities by training master’s-level special educators and school psychology graduate students in skills needed to perform effectively in problem solving teams involved in response-to-intervention (RTI).
Find Us Elsewhere
Contact Us
Tessa Nelson-Neigum
UW-SET Program Coordinator
tpnelson2@wisc.edu