The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction received Reed's application on Nov. 9, the agency said. Because of background-check requirements, the earliest DPI could make a decision is Nov. 23 — and that is only the earliest possible date, not a guarantee of approval.

Reed, who began leading the Sun Prairie Area School District on July 1, spoke about the questions surrounding his credentials, saying he and the district have been working with DPI and that Wisconsin's requirements differ from those in other states.

"Sometimes when you get a person with a lot of experience, different type of experience, that is what you need," Reed said. "And sometimes with that different type of experience, it just does not fit a set puzzle."

DPI previously confirmed that Reed had no current Wisconsin license when it responded to questions about his credentials. The agency denied an earlier application on Oct. 7, saying it was incomplete because it had not received employment verification documenting principal experience in Illinois.

At an Oct. 26 school board meeting, Reed said his Wisconsin license was still being processed. Asked about that statement, he said he understood the issue to be with a verification form rather than the application itself and that he remained in communication with DPI.

"So I was in continuous communication throughout that process," Reed said.

DPI's Oct. 7 email to Reed described the agency's action as an application denial. The agency later said it was reviewing additional materials despite the denial, but clarified that the review was not an application in process — it was intended to advise Reed about his licensing options. DPI now says additional information about Reed's responsibilities in Illinois is being evaluated as part of his new application.

Board Vice President Melissa Grayson said members knew Reed did not have a Wisconsin license when they hired him and expected him to go through a process to obtain one.

"The board always knew that he didn't have the license yet," Grayson said. "We knew that there was going to be a path there. So we've known about it the entire time."

Grayson said the board selected Reed because of his experience and qualifications and is not considering an interim superintendent.

"He is the person we picked. He is the person for the job. He has the backing of the board," she said.

Reed said he does not believe the situation reflects a lack of transparency and pointed to his conversations with families. Grayson said the board is working with DPI and sharing information as it becomes available.

"We understand why they [community] are concerned. We understand why people are reaching out and we hear them loud and clear and we are going to be sharing as much information as we can as soon as we can," Grayson said. "We really are looking out for the best interest of the district and the community and our scholars."

According to DPI's 2024 licensing bulletin, a person serving as a school district's administrative head must hold a DPI license. The bulletin describes how a district head with a Wisconsin credential other than a district-administrator license may need appropriately licensed employees to perform duties outside that credential's scope.

In a Sept. 28 email to Reed, DPI licensing director Jennifer Kammerud wrote that he could serve as superintendent under Wisconsin law if he held another Wisconsin educator license, but his duties would be limited by that credential. With a principal license, she wrote, his work would be limited to the school-building level until he obtained a superintendent license.

Reed said other administrators sign off on certain operational and educational matters. Grayson said others sign documents requiring particular signatures while Reed continues to perform superintendent duties. The district has said appropriately licensed administrators are handling duties that require a Wisconsin license.

In an October email, DPI said that if Reed obtained a Tier II principal license through reciprocity, he could pursue a superintendent license through a separate out-of-state pathway. That pathway's requirements include a qualifying teaching license and six semesters of teaching experience, which does not have to be full-time. A principal license would not automatically grant him a superintendent license.

The licensing dispute has drawn community attention in Sun Prairie, a growing district of roughly 8,500 students outside Madison. The board's decision to hire a superintendent without a Wisconsin license — and the subsequent denial of his first application — has raised questions about transparency and state requirements. Board members say they are committed to keeping the public informed as the process unfolds.

DPI's review of Reed's new application is ongoing, with a decision possible no earlier than Nov. 23.