UWM Considers Fast-Track Teacher Degree As MPS Seeks Staff
Three-year program could save students nearly $11,000 and fill dozens of open positions at MPS schools.
A sign is displayed on the UW-Milwaukee campus Monday, July 7, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is considering offering a three-year education degree to save their students money, while getting teachers into classrooms faster.
Chancellor Thomas Gibson said discussions are currently underway with the School of Education to move the reduced-credit degree forward, but there is not a definite timeline.
“We know there’s a great need not only here in the city, but across the state, to produce more teachers,” Gibson said during an interview with WPR on Friday, “I feel very optimistic that this is a program that we would be able to deliver and receive significant support for.”
In March, the Board of Regents approved revising a policy to allow Universities of Wisconsin campuses to offer 90-credit degrees, down from the traditional 120-credit four-year degree.
An in-state credit hour costs $366 at UWM, so cutting one year off of a degree program would save a student $10,980.
Gibson says preliminary plans have the students spending their fourth year working at Milwaukee Public Schools.
“We think it’s pretty novel,” he said. “We understand some of the pressures that MPS is feeling to recruit and attract teachers. So we see this as one way that we can be responsive to their needs.”
This fall, MPS started the school year with 60 teacher vacancies.
The number would be less, but the 2026-27 budget added more than 159 teaching positions and paraprofessionals to reduce class sizes.
Still, during a press conference before the school year started, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said there is still a lot of work to do and 60 openings is not where the district wants to be.
“Our goal is straightforward,” Cassellius said. “Every classroom should have a certified, qualified teacher, caring and competent, who is ready to help students learn and succeed.”
MPS spokesperson Tony Tagliavia said the district is grateful to Gibson for “thinking outside of the box and considering us as a partner for this fourth year teaching residency.
“The nationwide teacher shortage will require us to continue to embrace innovation and explore options,” Tagliavia wrote in a statement to WPR. “We welcome the opportunity to look at growing our strong partnership with UWM — and supporting Milwaukee students who deserve and need a licensed, caring teacher.”
If the reduced credit program does go forward, UWM will join UW-Green Bay in offering a three-year degree.
In the fall, UW-Green Bay was the first UW System campus to announce a reduced-credit bachelor’s degree in computer science.
Around 60 colleges nationwide have launched reduced-credit three-year bachelor programs, according to College-in-3-Exchange.
UW-Milwaukee could offer teachers a 3-year degree to help MPS teacher shortage was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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