Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

What Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is the state agency responsible for advancing public education and library services across Wisconsin, headquartered in Madison and established in 1848. DPI serves 426 public school districts, charter schools, private schools participating in Parental Education Options programs (including choice programs and special needs scholarships), Wisconsin families and students, educators and administrators, and approximately 1,800 public libraries. The agency is led by State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly (re-elected April 2025 for her second term) and Deputy State Superintendent John Johnson, operating with 501-1,000 employees. DPI is funded through Wisconsin's biennial state budget appropriations and federal grants, with the State of Wisconsin as its parent entity.

DPI operates an integrated education technology ecosystem anchored by the Wisconsin Information System for Education (WISE) platform family. Core systems include WISEdash (a public data portal with dashboards for enrollment, assessment, attendance, discipline, graduation, and postsecondary enrollment data), WISEdata (a student information system ingesting data from district Student Information Systems for state and federal reporting), WISEid (student and staff identity management), WISEgrants, and WISEsecure. The agency administers the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) — Forward Exam (grades 3-8 and 10), ACT with Writing (grade 11), Dynamic Learning Maps for students with significant cognitive disabilities, WIDA ACCESS for English Learners, and PreACT Secure — primarily through the DRC INSIGHT Portal. Additional offerings include School and District Report Cards for state/federal accountability, GED/HSED transcript and credential services (with $15 per first copy and $2 per additional copy, plus a $5 reduced price for incarcerated individuals), BadgerLink (electronic database access for libraries and residents), WISCAT interlibrary loan, and the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

As a government entity, DPI does not operate a commercial revenue model. GTM and constituent engagement rely on dpi.wi.gov as the primary information hub, the DPI ConnectEd newsletter, Assessment and Accountability newsletters, direct email communications from the State Superintendent to district administrators, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram), and dedicated networks of District Assessment Coordinators and District Technology Coordinators across all 426 districts. Distribution is inherently captive — Wisconsin public schools and libraries are mandated to engage with DPI for assessments, educator licensing, accountability reporting, and federal compliance, making the agency's market position structurally unchallenged within its jurisdiction.

Name

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Legal name

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Website

https://dpi.wi.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1848

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is the state agency overseeing K-12 public education and library services for Wisconsin's 426 school districts and approximately 1,800 libraries, administering statewide assessments, educator licensing, and accountability reporting through the WISE technology platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Education Agency Services

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (92311), Administration of Education Programs (923110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial/Regional Education Departments (EDADAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD), Special Education Evaluation & Assessment (Psychoeducational, Speech/Language, OT/PT) (EDAJAKAA), National/State Curriculum & Standards Authorities (EDADAEAA), Attendance, Truancy & Enrollment Compliance (EDAJAHAC)

Keywords

• K-12 education administration
• Statewide student assessment
• Educator licensing services
• Public library services
• School accountability reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is the state agency that administers K-12 public education and public library services across Wisconsin. It delivers official statewide student assessments (Forward Exam, ACT with Writing, DLM, WIDA ACCESS, PreACT Secure), educator licensing and background checks, school and district accountability report cards, education data systems (WISEdash, WISEdata, WISEid), special education oversight, school nutrition programs, and library services including BadgerLink online research and interlibrary loan for Wisconsin residents.

Product overview

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction operates a comprehensive education technology ecosystem comprising data management systems (WISEdash, WISEdata, WISEid), statewide assessment platforms (Forward Exam, WIDA ACCESS, Dynamic Learning Maps, PreACT Secure, ACT), accountability tools (School Report Cards), library services (BadgerLink), and educator services. These products function as an integrated platform supporting K-12 education administration, student assessment, data reporting, and library services across Wisconsin's public schools and libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WISEdash Public data portal providing dashboards with visual graphs and tables for multi-year education data about Wisconsin schools, including ACT, DLM, Forward Exam, enrollment, attendance, test performance, discipline, graduation, and postsecondary enrollment data. Built for Wisconsin residents, school district staff, researchers, and policymakers.
• WISEdata Statewide data collection and reporting system that accepts student data submissions from districts' Student Information Systems (SIS) for state and federal reporting requirements, including student data, school finance data, teacher licensing data, and school performance data.
• Forward Exam Statewide summative assessment for grades 3-8 and 10 covering English Language Arts and Mathematics, administered online through the DRC INSIGHT Portal. Required for Wisconsin public school students.
• WIDA ACCESS English Language Proficiency assessment for students in grades K-12, measuring reading, writing, speaking, and listening domains for English Learners.
• Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in standard assessments even with accommodations.
• PreACT Secure College readiness assessment for grades 9 and 10 measuring English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science readiness against ACT benchmarks.
• ACT with Writing College entrance exam administered in grade 11 as Wisconsin's required high school assessment, measuring college readiness.
• School and District Report Cards Annual accountability ratings that differentiate school and district outcomes across the performance spectrum, providing state and federal accountability designations.
• GED and HSED Credential Services High School Equivalency Diploma testing, credentialing, and transcript services for Wisconsin residents, including verification services for employers and institutions. Pricing: $15 first copy of credential, $5 reduced price for incarcerated individuals, $2 per additional copy in the same order.
• WISEid Student and staff identity management system providing unique identifiers for education data tracking across Wisconsin schools.
• BadgerLink Online research service providing Wisconsin residents and libraries access to electronic databases including newspapers, magazines, journals, and reference materials.
• Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired State-operated educational center providing specialized instruction and services for students who are blind or visually impaired.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• XellocoreTechnology or Integration · 4 February 2026Xello has been selected as Wisconsin's statewide college and career readiness platform following a competitive RFP process in which it earned the highest scores among all vendors evaluated. The selection expands an existing partnership and includes additional statewide trainers, a work-based learning coordinator, and an employer liaison to strengthen connections between schools and employers. The partnership aims to provide Wisconsin students with academic and career planning resources aligned with the state's Career Readiness Standards.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Michigan Department of Education: Michigan's state education agency managing M-STEP assessments, educator certification, school accountability, and special education oversight. Operational peer to Wisconsin DPI with similar Great Lakes regional context.
• California Department of Education: California's state education agency administering K-12 policy, statewide assessments (CAASPP, ELPAC), educator credentials, and school accountability. Same statutory mandate and operational scope as Wisconsin DPI, scaled to a much larger student population.
• New York State Education Department (NYSED): State education agency responsible for K-12 oversight, statewide assessments, educator licensing, and accountability reporting in New York. Directly comparable in mission, scope, governance structure, and functional service mix to Wisconsin DPI.
• Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois's state education agency administering statewide assessments, educator licensure, school report cards, and federal Title programs. Directly comparable to Wisconsin DPI in scope and adjacent geography.
• Texas Education Agency (TEA): Texas's state education agency overseeing K-12 public education, STAAR assessments, school accountability ratings, and educator certification. Directly comparable function and structure to Wisconsin DPI.
• Florida Department of Education: Florida's state education agency managing K-12 accountability, FSA/EOC assessments, educator certification, and school district oversight. Operational peer to Wisconsin DPI with similar statewide service delivery model.
• Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Ohio's state education agency overseeing K-12 accountability, state tests, educator licensure, and school district support. Same scope and structure as Wisconsin DPI.
• Minnesota Department of Education: Minnesota's state education agency administering MCA assessments, educator licensing, school report cards, and Title programs. Directly comparable to Wisconsin DPI in mission, geographic proximity, and functional scope.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education: Pennsylvania's state education agency overseeing K-12 public schools, Keystone Exams, PSSA, educator certification, and accountability reporting. Same statutory mandate and operational model as Wisconsin DPI.
• Iowa Department of Education: Iowa's state education agency administering ISASP assessments, educator licensing, school accountability, and federal program oversight. Closely comparable to Wisconsin DPI in scale and governance structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wisconsindpi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WisconsinDPI
• Facebookfacebook.com/WisDPI
• Instagraminstagram.com/wiscdpi

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction