Reed, who started the job July 1 after being hired in May, applied for the license on July 27. DPI officials told Reed and School Board President Diana McFarland in an Aug. 18 meeting that he was not yet eligible for a Wisconsin superintendent license under state law based on his education, employment and license history, according to a Sept. 28 email from Jennifer Kammerud, director of DPI's Bureau of Educator Licensing.

"On August 18, we discussed your path to licensure as you are currently ineligible for a superintendent's license under state law based on your education, employment, and license history," Kammerud wrote.

The email outlined a possible route to a Wisconsin principal license: Reed would need to verify a year working as a principal or assistant principal in an Illinois school building during the 2025–26 school year under the Illinois principal license he acquired in April 2025. To qualify for a superintendent license through reciprocity, he would need a year of experience as a superintendent in Illinois under his Illinois superintendent endorsement, which was first issued Dec. 19, 2025, verified by his Illinois employer.

Kammerud also said DPI would need a letter from the school board president detailing who would perform district-level superintendent responsibilities until Reed obtained the license. DPI told 15 Investigates it had not received such a letter from Sun Prairie.

DPI denied the application on Oct. 7 because Reed did not meet the requirements for reciprocity under state law, the agency said. Reed is welcome to submit a new application, according to DPI.

Records released by the district include a text-message thread attributed to Reed asking whether to submit a new application or appeal a "past decision."

At an Oct. 26 school board meeting, Reed said his Wisconsin 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 listed reported barriers including DPI processing timelines and clarification of requirements. The presentation did not mention a denial and outlined a succession plan for district leadership.

In a statement provided on the board's behalf, the district said Reed holds superintendent credentials in Illinois and Indiana and an administrator certificate in Michigan, and is working with DPI on a pathway to complete Wisconsin's requirements.

"The Board is working closely with DPI, legal counsel, and Dr. Reed on completing his Wisconsin licensure in line with state requirements," the district said. "In the meantime, the district has appropriately licensed administrators in place to handle anything that requires a Wisconsin license, so operations continue as normal. We'll keep the community updated as we learn more."

Reed's signed contract, which covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, lists a $230,000 base salary for the first year. It requires him to hold a valid Wisconsin administrator license at all times and states the agreement is conditioned on possession of a Wisconsin superintendent license or certificate and "shall be invalid" if he fails to maintain it. The district's superintendent job description says the person in the role must "possess and maintain, or be eligible to obtain" a current Wisconsin DPI superintendent license.

Wisconsin's public licensing record shows Reed previously held a one-year, school-board-requested administrator license valid from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. DPI said its public portal shows the latest licensing information available and that Reed has no current Wisconsin license.

Illinois public licensing records show Reed has a valid Professional Educator License that expires in 2030 and includes an issued superintendent endorsement. DPI said an Illinois superintendent endorsement does not automatically authorize someone to work as an administrator in Wisconsin. Under state law, someone seeking to be an administrator in Wisconsin from out of state has one of three options.

DPI's 2024 bulletin says a person serving as a district's administrative head must hold a DPI license. It explains that a district head with a Wisconsin license other than a district-administrator license may need other appropriately licensed employees to handle duties outside that credential's scope. Wisconsin also offers a one-year, board-requested administrator license for eligible applicants working toward the credential needed for their assignment, with requirements including admission to an approved preparation program and a request by the employing board. DPI said no application was pending when it responded.

DPI says a paid license application often takes six to eight weeks to review, with longer timelines during busy periods. A processing-times page updated Oct. 26 said some applications had taken up to 14 weeks amid higher-than-normal volume.

Licensing records show Reed has a valid Professional Educator License in Indiana and an active School Administrator Certificate from Michigan.

Reed previously served as chief of culture and student engagement for Rockford Public Schools and as chief of schools and high school principal for Milwaukee College Prep. The school board said it chose Reed after a search process that included large-scale community and staff feedback, a review of resumes, public interviews and a background check.

The district told 15 Investigates it is not releasing further information at this time.