(The Center Square) – Armed with the endorsement of Wisconsin’s largest educators union, local superintendent Jeff Wright revealed he will run for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“I am excited to officially begin this journey and am eager to serve all of Wisconsin’s students, educators, and families,” Wright said in a statement Sunday. “I’ve spent my career bringing people together to strengthen schools and communities, and I look forward to working with Wisconsinites from across the state to ensure a strong future for our schools.”
His announcement comes after receiving the endorsement of the Wisconsin Education Association Council Political Action Committee. The endorsement is notable as it signals a shift in WEAC’s support away from the current State Superintendent Jill Underly, whom the union championed as a candidate in 2021.
Wright, originally from Stevens Point and currently the superintendent of the Sauk Prairie School District, will make his campaign launch official after the November election. Wright has received multiple honors during his education career, including Government Teacher of the Year and Disney’s American Teacher Award.
He ran for election to the State Assembly twice, gaining former president Barack Obama’s endorsement in his 2016 campaign. Wright narrowly lost to Republican Todd Novak in both 2016 and 2018.
Underly made her own reelection bid announcement in September.
“I’ve fought for kids and their teachers to be their true selves in school and stood up to ensure they see themselves represented in their curriculum and in their libraries,” Underlie said. “In this campaign, and in a second term as Superintendent, I want to make sure we continue to make necessary investments in our kids, as well as continue to examine how we evolve education to meet the challenges of the future.”
The election will occur in April 2025.
