July 16th Edition
AWSA Update
School Administrators Alliance Welcomes Cody Lundquist as Director of Government Relations
The Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance (SAA) has named Cody Lundquist as its new director of government relations.
Lundquist brings more than a decade of experience in education leadership with a background in state and federal policymaking. He will help advance the organization's advocacy efforts on behalf of Wisconsin students.
Starting August 1, Lundquist will serve as a key voice for more than 4,000 educational leaders across Wisconsin, representing the alliance before education associations, the Wisconsin legislature, the Department of Public Instruction, the governor's office, and other state agencies.
In addition to leading SAA's advocacy efforts, he will oversee the organization's operations, develop evidence-informed policy recommendations, and engage members in support of high-quality public education policy.
For Lundquist, the opportunity represents the culmination of two lifelong passions. Although he began his career in politics, he intentionally shifted his professional path to public education in 2010 to make a more direct impact on students and schools.
His connection to education began long before entering the classroom. His mother served as an administrative assistant at his high school, while his own experiences included working as a camp director during college in Pennsylvania and later serving as a tutor in Washington, D.C., while working on Capitol Hill.
After transitioning into public education as a special education paraprofessional while attending graduate school, Lundquist became a special education teacher before moving into school leadership. Most recently, he has served as the Principal of Mount Horeb High School since 2019. He said those experiences have provided a perspective that is often missing from education policy conversations.
“Working directly with students, families, and educators has given me a ground-level understanding of what our schools truly need to succeed,” Lundquist said. “That practical experience is invaluable when developing policies that support public education.”
Lundquist's professional background includes legislative experience in the offices of Wisconsin State Rep. Gordon Hintz, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, and U.S. Rep. Ron Kind. Throughout his career in education, he has led community campaigns supporting school referendums and presented at state conferences on topics including school safety, student mental health and key drivers to improve student outcomes.
His experience implementing education policy at the local level for more than 10 years positions him to help connect policymaking with the realities facing Wisconsin schools and educational leaders.
AWSA Executive Director, Jim Lynch said “Cody knows that the success of any education policy ultimately depends on how it works in schools and classrooms. His experience as a classroom and school leader will help bring the voices of school and district leaders into conversations at the state level. That practical understanding will serve SAA well as it advocates for policies that strengthen school leadership and improve student outcomes.”
Cody joins SAA as it is spending the summer developing its legislative advocacy agenda for the upcoming school year while positioning itself for its next chapter of service to Wisconsin's educational leaders. As the organization prepares for the upcoming legislative session and school year, Lundquist is looking forward to working alongside educational leaders across the state to ensure their voices help shape policies that benefit Wisconsin’s students, educators, and communities.
The School Administrators Alliance (SAA) is a statewide organization that provides four associations of public school administrators with government relations services and a unified political voice. The SAA is an alliance of:
- Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA)
- Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO)
- Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS)
- Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators (WASPA)
As the combined government relations arm of these four associations, the SAA represents the interests of Wisconsin students and Wisconsin public schools before the State Legislature, the Office of the Governor, and the state agencies. The SAA supports legislation that improves Wisconsin public schools and the quality of education for Wisconsin school children. The SAA actively participates with other groups in addressing issues of mutual concern.
June 3rd Edition
AWSA Update
The AWSA Update Bulletin is ending the school year with the most-read articles of 2025-26.
All Means All: Data-Driven Leadership That Grows Every Student
Published January 14, 2026
As school leaders, we are constantly searching for ways to maximize impact around student learning. Yet for years, many of our accountability conversations have centered on proficiency, an outcome that often tells us more about which students are already successful than about how well we are serving all learners. In the Oostburg School District (OSD), we made a deliberate leadership shift several years ago by redefining success through student growth, rather than proficiency alone. Read more here.
Building a Meaningful Multi-Level System of Supports: Lessons from Forest Park Middle School
Published January 14, 2026
At Forest Park Middle School, we utilize a Multi-Level System of Supports (MLSS) to ensure every student gets what they need to be successful—academically, behaviorally, and socially-emotionally. This work has not been quick or easy. It has been an intentional, three-year process rooted in collaboration, reflection, and a shared commitment to meeting students’ needs. Read more here.
Beyond the “Seat at the Table”: Why Principal Presence in Special Education is Non-Negotiable
Published March 4, 2026
As school leaders, we often talk about “all students,” but the true test of that philosophy lies in how we lead our special education systems. In my seventh year as principal at Silver Spring Intermediate, I’ve come to realize that the most impactful work we do to close the achievement gap happens when we bridge the divide between the main office and the specialized learning environment. When we integrate our most vulnerable learners into the core of our leadership vision, we move beyond “management” and into true advocacy. Read more here.
Investing Your Time for Impact
Members are seeing a return on their investment of time in one of AWSA's in-depth academies through improved student outcomes. Consider your most pressing need and invest in one of the career stage or high-leverage practice academies available to support you to realize your vision of student success.
Career Stage: Launching Academy | Building Academy | Mastering Academy
High Leverage Practice: Leading Professional Learning Communities | Climate Catalyst Academy | Impactful Coaching Academy
Complete this form if you would like to consult with an AWSA team member on your professional growth planning.
Specially Designed Instruction in Inclusive School Settings
Published October 29, 2025
As an administrator, you want to ensure that each and every student gets what they need, when they need it, and in the way they need it to be successful in school. For students entitled to special education services, this includes providing leadership to ensure each student with an IEP receives a free appropriate public education (FAPE) delivered in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Read more here.
Tips for Serving as the Local Education Agency Representatives on IEP Teams
Published November 25, 2025
The field of special education uses a lot of acronyms like IEP, FAPE, and LRE. While using acronyms can be an efficient way of communicating in some circumstances, it can become problematic when talking with people who do not understand the lingo, or when IEP team members forget what those acronyms represent. Read more here.
Twice Exceptional Students: What Administrators Need to Know
Published October 15, 2025
This article addresses key ideas related to students who are twice exceptional. It outlines what twice exceptionality is, an example of what a twice exceptional student is, what is at stake, and possible ways to respond to better serve the learning needs of these students. Read more here.
|
