Sun Prairie – November 07, 2026 -- Sun Prairie Superintendent Dr. Antoine Reed has no Wisconsin license after the state denied his application on Oct. 7, even though his contract requires him to hold one at all times.
State says Reed did not meet reciprocity requirements
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) told WMTV's 15 Investigates that Reed applied on July 27, 2026, and that no application is currently pending. Reed started the job on July 1, after being hired in May. DPI said he did not meet the state's reciprocity requirements, and he is welcome to submit a new application.
District records include a text-message thread attributed to Reed asking whether to file a new application or appeal a "past decision."
DPI told Reed and the board president in August he was ineligible
In a Sept. 28 email, Jennifer Kammerud, director of DPI's Bureau of Educator Licensing, recapped an Aug. 18 meeting with Reed and School Board President Diana McFarland. She wrote that Reed was ineligible for a superintendent license under state law based on his education, employment and license history.
His Illinois superintendent endorsement was first issued Dec. 19, 2025. To qualify through reciprocity, Kammerud wrote, he would need a year of verified experience as an Illinois superintendent under that license.
She also outlined a possible route to a Wisconsin principal license. Reed would need to verify a year as a principal or assistant principal in an Illinois school building during 2025–26. A principal license would limit him to school-building-level work until he obtains a superintendent license. DPI also asked for a letter from the board president naming who would handle district-level superintendent duties in the meantime. DPI said it has not received one.
Board presentation did not mention the denial
At an Oct. 26 board meeting, Reed said his license was still being processed and that he was working with DPI and legal counsel. A presentation for that meeting said Wisconsin licensure "remains outstanding" and cited DPI processing timelines and requirement clarifications as barriers. It did not mention the denial. It did include a succession plan for district leadership.
DPI says paid applications often take six to eight weeks to review. On an Oct. 26 update, it said some had taken up to 14 weeks.
Contract requires a Wisconsin license
Reed's contract runs July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with a $230,000 base salary in the first year. It says the agreement "shall be invalid" if he fails to maintain a Wisconsin administrator license. It also states he holds a valid Wisconsin superintendent license or certificate.
In a statement, the district said Reed holds superintendent credentials in Illinois and Indiana and an administrator certificate in Michigan. It said licensed administrators are in place so that "operations continue as normal." The district is not releasing further information.
Reed previously held a one-year, board-requested Wisconsin administrator license, valid July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Before Sun Prairie, he was chief of culture and student engagement for Rockford Public Schools.