The Department of Public Instruction said it expects Reed to submit a new principal-license application soon and is in contact with Rockford Public Schools to determine the scope of his work there. The review is not a pending application, DPI said; it is meant to advise Reed on his licensing options.

Reed began as Sun Prairie's superintendent on July 1, 2026. He applied for a Wisconsin license July 27, and DPI denied the application Oct. 7, saying it was incomplete because the agency had not received employment verification documenting principal experience in Illinois.

The dispute centers on how to classify Reed's Rockford role. Rockford records list him in a district-level leadership position — appointed chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer in July 2022, and later listed as chief of culture and student engagement through June 30, 2026. Reed and his former superintendent say his responsibilities included principal-level duties at a middle school.

In a declaration attached to an employment-verification form, former Rockford Superintendent Ehren Jarrett said Reed performed principal and principal-supervisory functions, mentored principals and supported several schools, including daily administrative duties and leadership support at West Middle School. Reed told DPI his assigned responsibilities included principal- and assistant-principal-level work and pointed to letters from school leaders describing that experience.

DPI licensing director Jennifer Kammerud wrote in an Oct. 9 email to Sun Prairie's human resources director that Rockford had confirmed Reed did not work as a principal or assistant principal in the district. On Oct. 20, she told Reed the agency had received additional documentation after the denial and was contacting Rockford and the Illinois State Board of Education about the forms and the classification of his position. DPI has not disclosed what those officials said or announced a final determination.

In a Sept. 28 email, Kammerud recapped an Aug. 18 meeting she said Reed and Sun Prairie Board President Diana McFarland attended. She wrote that Reed was then ineligible for a Wisconsin superintendent license and described a possible path to a principal license if he could verify a year of qualifying principal or assistant-principal work in Illinois under his Illinois principal license.

Illinois licensing records show Reed holds principal and superintendent endorsements. DPI says an out-of-state credential does not automatically authorize an administrator to work in Wisconsin; for superintendent reciprocity, an applicant must hold the out-of-state license for a year and work under it for a year in the issuing state. Reed holds superintendent licenses in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, according to the district.

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. The district has said Reed is working with DPI to complete Wisconsin's requirements and that appropriately licensed administrators are handling duties that require a Wisconsin license.

"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 a statement. "In the meantime, the district has appropriately licensed administrators in place to handle anything that requires a Wisconsin license, so operations continue as normal."

DPI's 2024 bulletin says a person serving as a district's administrative head must hold a DPI license. It directs a board appointing a district head without a district-administrator license to send DPI a letter identifying the head's current Wisconsin license and the licensed employees handling other duties. DPI told 15 Investigates it had not received such a letter from Sun Prairie and had not followed up with the board because of ongoing conversations about Reed's licensure. The agency did not state that it had found the district violated licensing requirements.

Reed's signed 2026–2028 superintendent contract says the district administrator must hold a valid Wisconsin administrator license at all times and states that the administrator represents he holds a Wisconsin superintendent license. The agreement is conditioned on the required license or certificate. The contract's legal effect has not been independently determined.

Separately, an August email exchange shows Sun Prairie's human resources director asked search firm HYA for copies of Reed's and another administrator's licenses and transcripts. An HYA representative replied that the firm did not have the requested copies, that those documents were not part of its application process and that the district should request them from the individuals. The email alone does not establish what checks the district or others performed before hiring. According to invoices obtained by 15 Investigates, the district was billed more than $80,000 for the superintendent search process.

DPI previously said Reed had no current Wisconsin license and no application pending when it responded. Its latest response said it expects a principal-license application soon but did not directly confirm whether one has been filed or whether his license status has changed.