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Board approves behavioral-health partnership and 'Grow Your Own' teacher pipeline contracts
Summary
The board approved a five-year renewal with Children’s Wisconsin to provide behavioral-health services in 22 schools and approved a contract with Madison College to continue a Grow Your Own associate-degree pathway for aspiring teachers.
The Madison Metropolitan School District board on May 19 approved two agreements designed to expand student supports and diversify the teacher pipeline.
Children’s Wisconsin behavioral-health MOA: The board approved a five-year memorandum of agreement (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2030) to continue the district’s high-intensity partnership with Children’s Wisconsin to provide Behavioral Health in Schools services to 22 MMSD schools. The board also approved an initial expenditure of $721,875 to fund the work in 2025–26, to be paid from the student and staff support mental-health operating budget ($400,000), Roots & Wings ($164,375), and DPI per-pupil mental-health funds ($157,500). Board member Castro described the contract as a significant support for students exposed to trauma and adverse experiences.
Grow Your Own (Madison College): The board approved contracting with Madison College to operate a “Grow Your Own” associate-degree cohort (Grow Your Own to Associate Degree cohort 2) for fiscal year 2025–26 and 2026–27, at $198,500 per fiscal year. The program supports aspiring educators—many first-generation college students and people of color—by providing funded pathways from associate degrees to teaching credentials in partnership with UW–Madison and local partners. Project manager Dr. Jen Shepke described the program as a pipeline that enables candidates to work part time while completing postsecondary credentials and then continue toward a bachelor’s degree and teacher licensure.
Why it matters: the two contracts are investments in students’ mental-health supports and in diversifying and recruiting future educators, both priorities cited by board members and administration.
Decision: both motions were approved by the board during the meeting record. The behavioral-health MOA includes an option to renew for up to four additional one-year periods; the Grow Your Own contract commits funding for the specified fiscal years stated in the motion.
Ending: administration will implement both agreements and report program outcomes and participation to the board in future updates.
