John Humphries Email and Phone Number

The Wisconsin Association for Equity in Funding (AEF) is a group of school districts advocating for financial equity in the state system of school financing. The members include larger urban districts such as Green Bay, Chippewa Falls, and Beloit, as well as small rural districts like Algoma, Antigo, Cornell, Spencer, Southern Door and Whitehall. In 2019, we welcomed the School Districts of Gillett, Necedah, Turtle Lake, and Two Rivers. We represent thousands of students in dozens of districts across the great State of Wisconsin.

I help Administrators, Board Members, and other stakeholders identify opportunities to improve literacy outcomes using evidence-based practices through collaboration with Schools Cubed!

Superintendent in a small, rural school district in northwestern Wisconsin.

I am the lead administrator for the school district's state and federal programs including ESSA, IDEA, Educator Effectiveness, and various other programs including our Multi-Tiered System of Supports focused on student growth and closing achievement gaps.

Along with other administrators, I focus on implementation and development of our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. I collaborate to design and implement our Educator Effectiveness model with 3 Student Learning Objectives for all professionals: Student Growth, Gap Reduction, and Professional Learning Communities. Our system has led to significant growth in student outcomes and a focus on results. I also lead our student services team, ensuring progress for students with disabilities, homeless, ELL, and other significant needs.

In 2016-17 I was a candidate for Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I spent the better part of a year campaigning, fundraising, and traveling Wisconsin to learn about the needs of local educators, parents, and communities. I was the only candidate with a bipartisan campaign committee, raising over $60,000 in campaign contributions from educators, parents, community, and business leaders. Although I finished with over 26,000 votes, it was not enough to carry me through the primary. I'm proud of the many forward-thinking proposals I made and the opportunities to bring together a diverse group of supporters who helped me advocate for improvements in education in Wisconsin.

Board management, budget development/review, policy development, legislative efforts and positions.

Member of Executive Team for district with lowest per capita income in State. Oversaw special education and pupil services. Supported implementation of district-wide PBIS and RtI. Led changes to expulsion process and revised Student Code of Conduct, eliminating zero tolerance approaches leading to disproportionate expulsion of students of color and students with disabilities.

Consulted with districts, administrators, and school psychologists on issues pertaining to students with disabilities. Facilitated task forces on Response to Intervention for 6 years and co-wrote administrative rule to identify learning disabilities using RtI data. Trained school district staff on evidence-based youth suicide prevention, leading to 50% reduction in statewide youth suicide rate in 5 years.

Coordinated pupil services programming, and reviewed IEPs for legal compliance.

Directed Special Education, Pupil Services, Health, and ESL programs. Supervised over 180 Professional and Support Staff with 20+ direct reports. Oversaw $8.3 million in special education expenditures. Developed model parent partnership as a private nonprofit 403(c). Hosted legislative visit to discuss special education finance challenges. Initiated Student Services Strategic Planning initiative. Successfully guided district in mediation and IDEA complaints. Implemented web-based IEP program. Successfully completed special education audit with corrective action plans.

Wrote $100,000 Charter School Implementation Grant and Contract for "Better Futures Charter School," an alternative program serving a consortium of local districts. Coordinated special education programming.

Coordinated special education planning, ensuring district legal compliance. Managed evaluation process, wrote all IEP’s and completed all evaluations. Provided leadership regarding DPI interactions and legal issues, updated policies. Provided intensive case management including individual and group therapies. Taught social skills, anger coping, leadership, life skills, human growth and development.