Interdisciplinary Training Program in Education Sciences

Training researchers whose evidence-based results will help inform education policy and practice.

Mission

The Interdisciplinary Training Program in Education Sciences (ITP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of a network of pre-doctoral training programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. ITP is preparing a new generation of outstanding education science scholars by training them in methods of causal inference in the social sciences, engaging them in a weekly seminar, and supporting their translational research through a variety of internship opportunities. The community of faculty and Ph.D.-level researchers that work with ITP Fellows come from academic departments in education, social work and across the social sciences. Fellows join an interdisciplinary research community including doctoral students in Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Social Welfare, Sociology, Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, and Educational Psychology.

Upcoming Events

February 6, 2026

  • ITP Seminar: Benjamin Lebovitz

    February 6, 2026  12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
    Education Sciences, Room 259

    Pathways of Protection: Adult Support, Peer Climate, and Trans Youth Well-Being in Wisconsin

    Amid escalating restrictions on educational supports for transgender and gender diverse youth, I consider the roles of adult support and LGBTQ+ peer density as protective factors for transgender students. I use logistic regression, structural equation modeling (SEM), and inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) to analyze data from Wisconsin’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Preliminary results indicate that having a greater number of supportive adults and LGBTQ+ peers is associated with fewer past-year suicide attempts for transgender students. However, the strength and significance of adult support and LGBTQ+ peer density as a moderator between mental health and suicide attempts differ between transgender and cisgender students. These findings provide timely evidence to inform school policies and legislative debates on the importance of gender-inclusive school environments.

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February 13, 2026

  • ITP Seminar: Fellows Only, *Room Change, Prof. Dev. Discussion

    February 13, 2026  12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
    Education Sciences, room 1252

    Today's meeting will be held in Ed. Sciences, room 1252 and NOT the usual Ed. Sciences, room 259.

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Coursework: ITP Seminar

This project is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education through award #R305B200026 (2020-2025) to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.