Jill Underly

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Jill Underly
Jill Underly.jpg
28th Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
Assumed office
July 5, 2021
GovernorTony Evers
Preceded byCarolyn Stanford Taylor
Personal details
Born
Jill Katherine Semko

(1977-08-02) August 2, 1977 (age 44)
Hammond, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)John Underly
Children2
EducationIndiana University, Bloomington (BA)
Indiana University, Indianapolis (MA)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (PhD)

Jill Katherine Underly (née Semko; born August 2, 1977) is an American educator and school system administrator. She is the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, elected in the 2021 Spring general election.

Biography[]

Jill Underly grew up in northwest Indiana, outside Chicago.[1] She earned her bachelor's degree from Indiana University Bloomington in 1999, with a double-major in history and sociology.[2]

Immediately after earning her degree, she went to work as a high school social studies teacher at Frankfort High School and Munster High School, in Frankfort and Munster, Indiana, respectively.[1] While teaching, she pursued further education, and, in 2004, received her first master's degree in secondary education curriculum and instruction from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.[2]

In 2005, she moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where she continued her education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and worked on the staff for Undergraduate Academic Services in the College of Letters & Sciences. She earned her second master's degree in 2008 in Educational Administration and licensure in Educational Administration.[2]

In 2009, she was hired by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as an assistant director and education consultant, where she remained until 2014.[2] During these years, she continued her education at the University of Wisconsin, and, in 2012, earned her doctorate in educational leadership & policy analysis.[2]

In 2014, she moved to Hollandale, Wisconsin, to become principal of Pecatonica Elementary School. The following year, the Pecatonica Area School Board selected her as school district administrator. During her term, Underly was outspoken for the interests of rural school districts.[3]

In May 2020, following the announcement that incumbent State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor would not seek election to a full four-year term, Underly announced her candidacy for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.[4]

Underly topped a field of seven candidates in the February 2021 nonpartisan primary,[5] and went on to defeat former Brown Deer superintendent Deborah Kerr in the April general election.[6] While the office of State Superintendent is officially nonpartisan, Underly was endorsed in her campaign by Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, and representatives Ron Kind, Gwen Moore, and Mark Pocan, as well as former Governor Jim Doyle and nearly every Democrat in the Wisconsin Legislature.[7] Her opponent, a strong advocate of voucher school expansion, was endorsed by former Obama Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and state senator Lena Taylor.[8]

Personal life and family[]

Underly and her husband John live in Hollandale, Wisconsin; they have two children.[2]

Electoral history[]

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction (2021)[]

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 2021[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Primary, February 16, 2021
Nonpartisan Jill Underly 88,796 27.23%
Nonpartisan Deborah Kerr 86,174 26.43%
Nonpartisan Sheila Briggs 50,815 15.58%
Nonpartisan Shandowlyon Hendricks-Williams 36,850 11.30%
Nonpartisan Troy Gunderson 27,452 8.42%
Nonpartisan Steve Krull 20,543 6.30%
Nonpartisan Joe Fenrick 14,507 4.45%
Nonpartisan Scattering 937 0.29%
Total votes 326,074 100.0%
General Election, April 6, 2021[9]
Nonpartisan Jill Underly 526,444 57.57%
Nonpartisan Deborah Kerr 386,570 42.27%
Nonpartisan Scattering 1,420 0.16%
Plurality 139,874 15.30%
Total votes 914,434 100.0%

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Jill Underly, PhD". Pecatonica Area School District. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "About Jill Underly". Jill Underly for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Underly, Jill (January 24, 2020). "Jill Underly: Give rural schools the tools they need to thrive". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "Jill Underly Announces Candidacy for State Superintendent of Public Instruction". Dr. Jill Underly (Press release). Hollandale, Wisconsin. May 7, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Urban Milwaukee.
  5. ^ a b County by County Report 2021 Spring Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 1, 2021. pp. 1–3. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  6. ^ Linnane, Rory; Shastri, Devi (April 6, 2021). "Jill Underly to become next Wisconsin superintendent of schools". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "Endorsements". Jill Underly for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Linnane, Rory; Shastri, Devi (April 7, 2021). "Jill Underly to become next Wisconsin superintendent of schools". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  9. ^ Canvass Results for 2021 Spring Election - 4/6/2021 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. April 22, 2021. p. 1. Retrieved May 13, 2021.

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
2021–present 		Incumbent
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