Director of Special Education and Pupil Services
Timely Information
Wisconsin’s Special Educators Induction Program Nominations
As part of DPI’s Strategic Plan for the recruitment and retention of teachers, Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program is in its fourth year of supporting new special educators across the state! 94% of previous participants have indicated they are likely to remain in their previous position or in special education following the completion of the induction program. In partnership, each CESA will offer a three-year induction program for new special educators which includes professional learning, coaching, and embedded support to increase staff retention. The induction program is designed for first or second year special educators and special educators holding a License with Stipulations. In addition, continued focused learning, coaching, and support are available for participants who completed the first year of induction and return for a second and third year. There will be no cost to the school district, and districts will receive a stipend per participant per year to offset the costs associated with the induction program.
Participation in the induction program will not result in DPI licensure but is intended to supplement any Educator Preparation Program. Your local CESA will be sending a nomination and commitment form to each district in the near future. This opportunity is made possible through Individuals with Disabilities Education Act federal funds. For more information, please see Resources to Attract, Prepare, and Retain Special Educators webpage and contact your local CESA to nominate your new special educators and returning induction participants.
WCBVI 2026 Summer Program Registration
During the summer of 2026, the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI) will host four one-week educational programs for students who are blind, visually impaired and deafblind. The programs and student age ranges are as follows:
1) Literacy Alive: Summer Enrichment (Two strands- Entering Grades 3-5 and Entering Grades 6-8)
2) Road to Employment (ages 14-21 years)
3) Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) (students entering grades 3 - 8)
4) Adulting 101 (ages 14-21 years)
Parents or guardians, please submit the 2026 WCBVI Summer Program Registration Form by Friday, May 8, 2026.
DPI Employment Opportunities
There are a number of open positions including Early Learning Multi-Level Systems of Supports Education Consultant, Student Services Consultant, and School Psychology (Project) positions available with deadlines to apply ranging from March 16 to March 230 depending on the position. For more information see the WISC.Jobs webpage. For questions, see the contact information for each job position.
Resources
DPI Resources Update: Website Update to Meet Accessibility Requirements
On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the Department of Justice’s (Department) final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final rule has specific requirements about how to ensure that web content and mobile applications (apps) are accessible to people with disabilities. The rule applies to web content that a state or local government provides or makes available. State and local governments must make sure that their web content and mobile apps meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA by April 24, 2026 if their website serves more than 50,000 people. The DPI website will be updated to meet the accessibility requirements. There may be videos, slide handouts and other resources that will be unavailable during and after the website update. We will do our best to make these accessible and get them back on the website as soon as possible. In the meantime, if there is anything you access frequently or are hoping to view in the next couple of months, you may wish to download a copy to your computer now.
Other DPI News
DAC Digest, March 11, 2026
Assessment and Accountability Newsletter, March 13, 2026
Upcoming Learning Events
March 24, 2026: OT and PT CoP: Inclusive services breakout session- OT and PT specific conversations (3:30-4:30 Virtual)
March 24, 2026: Wrapping up with the Summary of Performance (SoP) (7:15-8 AM Virtual)
April 1st, 2026: Abacus and Learning Media Assessment Professional Development. Steven’s Point. Registration closes April 1st, (In-person)
April 08, 2026: Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Virtual Academy (9 AM- 12 PM Virtual)
April 09, 2026: Virtual: Technical Assistance for Indicator 14 and Low Response Rate (7:15- 8AM)
April 11, 2026 (10:00-4:00). Tactile Graphics Workshop. Wisconsin Rapids. Registration closes March 6th, (In-person)
April 14, 2026: Interactive and Personalized Literacy for Students Who are Deafblind (Virtual)
April 14, 2026: Best Practices in Transition Planning (9 AM – 3PM In Person)
April 23, 2026: Best Practices in Transition Planning (9 AM – 3PM In Person)
April 23-25, 2026: Autism Society’s 37th Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells (In-Person)
April 28, 2026: AT Forward CoP: Coaching for Sustainable Assistive Technology Impact (12-1 PM Virtual)
May 05, 2026: OT and PT CoP: Breakout Sessions Hot Topics (3:30-4:30 Virtual)
May 05, 2026: WI Statewide Transition Networking – Educators Only (9 AM – 2:30PM In Person)
May 06, 2026: AT Forward CoP: Accessible Gadgets for Gamers: Evaluating and Applying Video Game Accessibility in Therapeutic Settings (12-1 PM Virtual)
May 06, 2026: Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Virtual Academy (10 AM- 12 PM Virtual)
Recurring Events
Early Learning Technical Assistance and Implementation Professional Learning Opportunities
2/19/26, 3/19/26, 4/16/26: Functional Behavioral Assessment Community of Practice
Monthly, every third Wednesday, 12:30-1:15: Specific Learning Disabilities Community of Practice registration link
November 2025 - January 1, 2026: 2025 WI CEC ON Demand Conference, Synergy: The Power of Working Together
Monthly October 2025 - March 2026: Supporting Neurodiverse Students: Year Long Cohort
Second Tuesdays, 1-2pm: New School Social Worker Resource Sharing Sessions
DPI does not sponsor or endorse any external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration. For questions about this email list, please contact Daniel Parker, daniel.parker@dpi.wi.gov. Past updates for this email list can be found on the DPI Weekly News webpage.
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