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UW System Home > Offices > Academic & Student Services > PK-16 Partnerships & Initiatives

Academic and Student Services (ACSS) has identified PK-16 as a major priority, with an emphasis on higher education and PK-12 schools as components of an interdependent educational system. We share in the responsibility to ensure the components work together for the educational benefit of students and in the support of rigorous academic standards.

Current PK-16 partnerships and initiatives include:

• The Teacher Quality Initiative, an exploration of quality issues related to teacher preparation.
• The Wisconsin PK-16 Leadership Council - Participating in a national network of state PK-16 councils.
• Supporting the Institute for Urban Education, with the goal of creating a residential educator preparation program for initial preparation of educators, for in-service teachers, and for scholars with a focus on urban education.
• Coordinating the Wisconsin ESEA Title II Improving Teacher Quality (WITQ) Higher Education Professional Development Competitive Grants Program - for improving the teaching of mathematics, science, and other core subjects at the K-12 level in Wisconsin's public and private schools.
• Collaborating with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and UW institutions on the implementation of new teacher education rules (PI 34).
• The Wisconsin Alignment Project - Analyzing the alignment of UW admissions and placement with Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards.
• The Curriculum Articulation Project - Comparing, on a pilot basis, high school courses with entry-level UW courses in core academic areas.
• Supporting a Systemwide effort awarding credit for advanced placement (AP) courses.
• The Competency-Based Admissions project.
• Collaborating as a partner in Wisconsin's School-to-Work System, a program of the Governor's Work-Based Learning Board, providing education-related opportunities that center on actively preparing all students to enter the global workforce of the future.
• Participating in Wisconsin's Youth Options program allowing high school students to enroll in courses at UW Institutions.
• Participating in collaborative activities with Early Childhood education providers and stakeholders.
• Supporting PK-16 professional development initiatives in instructional technologies for teachers; Virtual Initiatives for Technology, Teaching and Learning (VIT²AL).

We expect that these activities will result in the following outcomes:

• Reform of teacher education programs;
• Enhanced UW faculty understanding and knowledge of changes in the PK-12 curriculum;
• Enhanced student readiness for college;
• Integration of technology into preservice and inservice teacher education programs;
• Participation in school reform and student readiness; and
• Showcasing Wisconsin initiatives and learning from the experience of other states.

Academic Affairs is committed to engaging in these activities collaboratively with our educational partners in Wisconsin such as the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Technical College System, the TEACH (Technology for Educational Achievement) Board, private colleges and universities, educational associations, and faculty and administrators from PK-12 schools throughout the state.