Welcome to the UW System Institute for Urban Education (IUE). The IUE is a UW System program housed at UW-Milwaukee.

Research on school reform consistently demonstrates that the presence of an effective teacher is an influential factor in the success of a student. The mission of the UW System Institute for Urban Education (IUE) is to prepare highly effective, culturally relevant and culturally responsive teachers who can serve the needs of culturally diverse youth in PK-12 schools and their surrounding communities.

The IUE will accomplish this mission by providing urban education opportunities for preservice teachers, in-service teachers and scholars. This mission is central to the IUE, UW System and its PK-12 partners.

Learn more about Wisconsin and the Wisconsin DPI Equity Plan (PDF).

Male teacher helping students in the classroom.
Learn more about the Institute for Urban Education and hear graduates describe their experiences in the program.

Goals and Mission

  • Provide internship opportunities for UW System students to teach in urban school settings in order to fulfill their student teaching requirements.
  • Facilitate community connections between teaching candidates, community members around and within the school districts, and UW System stakeholders.
  • Increase and support effective professional development opportunities for Wisconsin teachers who are working in urban settings or want to work in urban settings.
  • Increase and improve the collaborative teaching and research efforts of UW System schools and programs of education.

The IUE’s charge is to advance the field of urban education and to recruit, promote and retain high-quality educators for urban districts.

To achieve this goal, the IUE will:

  • Establish and maintain productive relationships with appropriate public and private organizations at the local, regional, state, national and international levels.
  • Promote public service and research efforts directed toward meeting the social, economic and cultural needs of the state of Wisconsin and its metropolitan areas.
  • Encourage others from institutions in the UW System and from other educational institutions and agencies to seek benefit from the university’s research and educational resources, such as libraries, special collections, archives, museums, research facilities and academic programs.
  • Provide educational leadership in meeting future social, cultural and technological challenges.

Staff

Amy Gutowski, IUE Clinical Specialist in Institute for Urban Education.
  • IUE Clinical Specialist, Institute for Urban Education
Lisa Litzsey, IUE Program Manager in Institute for Urban Education.
  • Interim Director, Institute for Urban Education