Chapter PI 34

PI 34.040 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751 eff. 7-1-18; correction in (2) (d) 4. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register May 2018 No. 751; EmR1909; emerg. am. (1) (b), cr. (1) (c), am. (2) (h), eff. 1-14-19; CR 19-034: am. (1) (b), cr. (1) (c), am. (2) (h) Register February 2020 No. 770, eff. 3-1-20; CR 20-070: cr. (2) (j) Register August 2021 No. 788, eff. 9-1-21; CR 20-082: am. (2) (intro.), cr. (2) (k) to (m) Register August 2021 No. 788, eff. 9-1-21; correction in (2) (L) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register August 2021 No. 788; CR 21-010: am. (1) (a), cr. (1) (d), (2) (j) Register September 2021 No. 789, eff. 10-1-21; correction in (1) (d) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., correction in numbering of (2) (n) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., and correction in (2) (n) 2. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register September 2021 No. 789; CR 22-005: am. (2) (j) 3. Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22.

PI 34.0405 PI 34.0405 Tier II military spouse license.

PI 34.0405(1) (1) Authorization. A license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach or work in the license area specified under subch. VI, VII, or VIII.

PI 34.0405(2) (2) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a Tier II license to an applicant who meets all of the following:

PI 34.0405(2)(a) (a) The applicant is the spouse of an individual who is active duty military personnel.

PI 34.0405(2)(b) (b) The applicant holds a valid teacher, pupil services, or administrator license from another state.

PI 34.0405(2)(c) (c) The applicant provides verification of the applicant’s spouse’s current military orders and a copy of one of the following:

PI 34.0405(2)(c)1. 1. The applicant’s marriage license.

PI 34.0405(2)(c)2. 2. The military ID card for the applicant’s spouse.

PI 34.0405(3) (3) Duration. A license issued under this section is valid for 3 years.

PI 34.0405(4) (4) Renewal. A license issued under this section is nonrenewable.

PI 34.0405 History History: CR 19-029: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18.

PI 34.041 PI 34.041 Tier III lifetime license.

PI 34.041(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

PI 34.041(1)(a) (a) “Educational entity” includes any of the following:

PI 34.041(1)(a)1. 1. CESA.

PI 34.041(1)(a)2. 2. Charter school.

PI 34.041(1)(a)3. 3. Licensed child care provider under contract with a school district to provide 3 or 4-year-old kindergarten.

PI 34.041(1)(a)4. 4. Private school.

PI 34.041(1)(a)5. 5. School district.

PI 34.041(1)(a)5m. 5m. Tribal school.

PI 34.041(1)(a)6. 6. Wisconsin center for the blind and visually impaired.

PI 34.041(1)(a)6m. 6m. Wisconsin Challenge Academy under s. 321.03 (1) (c), Stats.

PI 34.041(1)(a)7. 7. Wisconsin educational services program for the deaf and hard of hearing.

PI 34.041(1)(b) (b) “Regularly employed in education” means employed as an educator providing services directly to students, families or fellow educators in a prekindergarten through college setting or providing administrative oversight in a prekindergarten through grade 12 setting for one hour per day per semester or its equivalent.

PI 34.041(1)(c) (c) “Successfully completed” means the fulfillment of duties as a teacher, pupil services professional, or administrator for each semester completed under the terms of employment.

PI 34.041(2) (2) Authorization. A tier III license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach or work in the license area specified under subch. VI, VII, or VIII.

PI 34.041(3) (3) Eligibility. The state superintendent may grant a tier III license to an applicant if all of the following requirements are met:

PI 34.041(3)(a) (a) The applicant holds or has held a valid tier II license.

PI 34.041(3)(b) (b) The applicant meets one of the following requirements:

PI 34.041(3)(b)1. 1. Completed 6 semesters of experience in the license area of the tier II license. The 6 semesters of experience shall be completed within the five years preceding the start date of the new tier III license. The 6 semesters of experience shall include experience providing direct services to students or providing administrative oversight in a prekindergarten through grade 12 setting in the license area of the tier II license while employed by an educational entity in Wisconsin.

PI 34.041(3)(b)2. 2. Held a tier II license issued in the 2017-18 school year and completed 6 semesters of experience in the license area of the tier II license. The 6 semesters of experience shall have occurred between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2018, and shall have included experience providing direct services to students or providing administrative oversight in a prekindergarten through grade 12 setting in the license area of the tier II license while employed by an educational entity in Wisconsin.

PI 34.041(3)(c) (c) The applicant verifies to the state superintendent that the applicant has successfully completed the service under par. (b) on a form provided by the department. The form shall require verification from each applicable employer for whom the applicant has successfully completed service.

PI 34.041(4) (4) License area. If the applicant holds multiple tier II licenses under subch. VI, VII, or VIII, experience in a license area in that subchapter will qualify as experience for other licenses held in the same applicable subchapter.

PI 34.041(5) (5) Duration. A license issued under this section remains valid unless one of the following occurs:

PI 34.041(5)(a) (a) The license holder has not been regularly employed in education for 5 or more consecutive years.

PI 34.041(5)(b) (b) The license holder does not meet the requirements under sub. (6). The state superintendent shall restore a license that becomes invalid under this paragraph if the license holder obtains a satisfactory background check under sub. (6) within 180 calendar days of the license being invalidated.

PI 34.041(6) (6) Background check. An individual holding a license issued under this section shall submit a request to the department to have a new background check conducted once every five years. The request shall be made between January 1 and June 30 of the fifth year since the individual’s last background check, and by the same dates every five years thereafter. The department may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of background checks.

PI 34.041 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18; CR 18-060: r. and recr. Register April 2019 No. 760, eff. 5-1-19; correction in (1) (a) 3. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register April 2019 No. 760; CR 19-034: cr. (1) (a) 5m., am. (4) Register February 2020 No. 770, eff. 3-1-20; CR 24-015: cr. (1) (a) 6m. Register July 2024 No. 823, eff. 8-1-24.

PI 34.042 PI 34.042 Tier IV master educator license.

PI 34.042(1) (1) Authorization. A tier IV license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach or work in the license area specified under subch. VI, VII, VIII, or IX.

PI 34.042(2) (2) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a tier IV license if the applicant holds or has held a valid tier III license and is certified by the national board for professional teaching standards or, if there is no applicable national board assessment, the applicant meets all of the following requirements:

PI 34.042(2)(a) (a) The applicant submits an application to the state superintendent which includes evidence of all of the following:

PI 34.042(2)(a)1. 1. The applicant holds a master’s degree related to grade level and subject area of the license.

PI 34.042(2)(a)2. 2. The applicant has at least 5 years of successful professional experience under a tier III license in the license area of the tier III license.

PI 34.042(2)(a)3. 3. The applicant has made contributions to the profession.

PI 34.042(2)(a)4. 4. The applicant has improved pupil learning.

PI 34.042(2)(b) (b) An assessment team recommends the applicant for a tier IV license. The assessment team shall base its decision on all of the following:

PI 34.042(2)(b)1. 1. A formal assessment process of the applicant demonstrates that the applicant has mastered of the applicable standards under subch. II. The assessment process shall be comparable to the national board for professional teaching standards process and be approved by the state superintendent.

PI 34.042(2)(b)2. 2. The applicant demonstrates exemplary professional performance through video or on-site observation by the assessment team.

PI 34.042(3) (3) Assessment team. The assessment team under sub. (2) (b) shall meet all of the following requirements:

PI 34.042(3)(a) (a) The assessment team shall be composed of 3 educators who have the same or similar job responsibilities. It may also include a school board member.

PI 34.042(3)(b) (b) The assessment team members shall be nominated by professional organizations and be approved by the state superintendent.

PI 34.042(3)(c) (c) The assessment team members have successfully completed training provided by the department.

PI 34.042(4) (4) License area. The state superintendent shall assign the same license area to a tier IV license issued under this section as the applicant’s tier III license.

PI 34.042(5) (5) Duration. A license issued under this section remains valid unless one of the following occurs:

PI 34.042(5)(a) (a) The license holder has not been regularly employed in education for 5 or more consecutive years.

PI 34.042(5)(b) (b) The license holder does not meet the requirements under sub. (6). The state superintendent shall restore a license that becomes invalid under this paragraph if the license holder obtains a satisfactory background check under sub. (6) within 180 days of the license being invalidated.

PI 34.042(6) (6) Background check. An individual holding a license issued under this section shall submit a request to the department to have a new background check conducted once every five years. The request shall be made between January 1 and June 30 of the fifth year since the individual’s last background check, and by the same dates every five years thereafter. The department may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of background checks.

PI 34.042 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18; CR 18-060: am. (5) (a) Register April 2019 No. 760, eff. 5-1-19.

subch. VI of ch. PI 34 Subchapter VI — Teaching Areas

PI 34.043 PI 34.043 Applicability. The state superintendent shall assign a license area under this subchapter to each teaching license issued under subch. V.

PI 34.043 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18.

PI 34.044 PI 34.044 Early childhood.

PI 34.044(1) (1) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a license in the early childhood teaching area under this section if the applicant completed an approved program in early childhood education and met the assessment requirements under s. PI 34.021 (1) (c) and (d).

PI 34.044(2) (2) Grade levels. A license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach in a regular education setting with pupils from birth to grade 3.

PI 34.044(3) (3) Subject areas. Subject to sub. (2), a license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach any regular education subject.

PI 34.044 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751 eff. 7-1-18; correction in (1) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register May 2018 No. 751.

PI 34.045 PI 34.045 Elementary and middle school.

PI 34.045(1) (1) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a license in the elementary and middle school license area under this section if the applicant completed an approved program in elementary and middle school education with at least one course in the curriculum content of the Wisconsin standards in each of the following subjects:

PI 34.045(1)(a) (a) Language arts.

PI 34.045(1)(b) (b) Mathematics.

PI 34.045(1)(c) (c) Science.

PI 34.045(1)(d) (d) Social studies.

PI 34.045(2) (2) Grade levels. A license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach in a regular education setting grades kindergarten through 9.

PI 34.045(3) (3) Subject areas. Subject to sub. (2), a license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach any subject, except a world language in a self-contained classroom, or the subjects listed under sub. (1) in a departmentalized setting.

PI 34.045 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18; correction in (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2018 No. 751.

PI 34.046 PI 34.046 Middle and high school.

PI 34.046(1) (1) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a middle and high school license under this section to a licensee if the applicant who completed an approved program in middle and high school education.

PI 34.046(2) (2) Grade levels. A license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach in a regular education setting grades 4 through 12.

PI 34.046(3) (3) Subject areas. Subject to sub. (2), a license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach one or more of the following subject areas, as determined under sub. (1):

PI 34.046(3)(a) (a) Computer science.

PI 34.046(3)(b) (b) English and language arts.

PI 34.046(3)(c) (c) Mathematics.

PI 34.046(3)(d) (d) Science.

PI 34.046(3)(e) (e) Social studies.

PI 34.046 History History: CR 17-093: cr. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18.

PI 34.047 PI 34.047 Kindergarten through grade 12.

PI 34.047(1) (1) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a kindergarten through grade 12 license under this section if the applicant meets all of the following requirements: