Chapter PI 37

Chapter PI 37

GRANTS FOR NATIONAL TEACHER CERTIFICATION
OR MASTER EDUCATOR LICENSURE

PI 37.02   Definitions.

PI 37.03   Grants for national board certification and Wisconsin master educator licensure.

PI 37.05   Review of applications and awarding of grants.

PI 37.02 PI 37.02 Definitions. In this chapter:

PI 37.02(1) (1) “Department” means the Wisconsin department of public instruction.

PI 37.02(1g) (1g) “Educator effectiveness system” means the educator effectiveness evaluation system under s. 115.415, Stats.

PI 37.02(1r) (1r) “Educator practice outcome summary” means the evaluation score under s. 115.415 (2) (b), Stats., or an equivalent score.

PI 37.02(2) (2) “Employed as a teacher” means an individual working as a teacher for a minimum of 40 percent full-time equivalency for the duration of the school year.

PI 37.02(3) (3) “National board certification” or “national board certificate” means a certificate issued by the national board for professional teaching standards.

PI 37.02(3d) (3d) “Obtain” means to be granted national board certification in a subject area or issued a tier IV master educator license under subch. VI or VII of ch. PI 34.

PI 37.02(3h) (3h) “Private school” has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (3r), Stats.

PI 37.02(3m) (3m) “Rating of effective or highly effective” means the evaluator in the educator effectiveness system assessed the educator’s practice as meeting the criteria for a rating of three or above on a four-point scale in over half of the components for the educator practice rubric and the criteria for a rating of three or above on a four-point scale in over half of the rubric components for student outcomes.

PI 37.02(4) (4) “School year” has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (13), Stats.

PI 37.02(5) (5) “State license” means a document issued under ch. PI 34 granting authority or permission to serve as a professional school employee in Wisconsin public schools.

PI 37.02(6) (6) “State superintendent” means the state superintendent of public instruction for the state of Wisconsin.

PI 37.02(6m) (6m) “Student outcomes summary” means the evaluation score based on measures of student performance under s. 115.415 (2) (a), Stats.

PI 37.02(7) (7) “Teacher” means properly licensed individuals delivering instruction directly to pupils; or school psychologists, school counselors, or school social workers. “Teacher” does not include individuals working under a contract as an administrator.

PI 37.02(7m) (7m) “Tribal school” has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (15m), Stats.

PI 37.02(8) (8) “Wisconsin master educator” means a teacher who has completed the Wisconsin master educator assessment process and is licensed under s. PI 34.042.

PI 37.02 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00; CR 01-132: r. (1) and renum. (2) to (4) to be (1) to (3) Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; correction in (2) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register June 2004 No. 582; EmR0813: emerg. renum. (1) to (3) to be (4) to (6), cr. (1) to (3), (7) and (8) eff. 5-17-08; CR 08-044: renum. (1) to (3) to be (4) to (6), cr. (1) to (3), (7) and (8) Register January 2009 No. 637, eff. 2-1-09; CR 15-029: cr. (1g), (1r), (3m), (6m) Register October 2015 No. 718, eff. 11-1-15; correction in (8) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register June 2019 No. 762; CR 25-008: am. (2), cr. (3d), (3h), am. (3m), (6m), (7), cr. (7m) Register June 2025 No. 834, eff.7-1-25; correction in (3d) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2025 No. 834.

PI 37.03 PI 37.03 Grants for national board certification and Wisconsin master educator licensure.

PI 37.03(1) (1) Initial reimbursement.

PI 37.03(1)(a) (a) Eligibility. An individual meeting all of the following requirements may apply to the state superintendent for a grant for reimbursement of their costs of obtaining national board certification or master educator licensure:

PI 37.03(1)(a)1. 1. The applicant is certified by the national board for professional teaching standards or licensed as a Wisconsin master educator under s. PI 34.042.

PI 37.03(1)(a)2. 2. The applicant is licensed as a teacher by the state superintendent or employed as a teacher in a private school or tribal school located in this state.

PI 37.03(1)(a)3. 3. The applicant is employed as a teacher in this state in the area in which they are nationally certified or hold a Wisconsin master educator license under subch. VI or VII of PI 34.

PI 37.03(1)(a)4. 4. If the applicant is required to be evaluated under ss. 115.415 and 121.02 (1) (q), Stats., they received a rating of effective or highly effective in the educator effectiveness system on their most recent evaluation, or an applicant is employed at a private or tribal school, the private or tribal school verifies the educator is effective or highly effective.

PI 37.03(1)(a)5. 5. The applicant is not receiving a concurrent grant under this section in the same school year.

PI 37.03(1)(b) (b) Amount. The reimbursement grant under this subsection shall be of an amount equal to the cost of obtaining certification or licensure under par. (a) that are borne by the individual, not to exceed $2,000.

PI 37.03(1)(c) (c) Documentation. Receipts submitted for reimbursement must meet all the following requirements:

PI 37.03(1)(c)1. 1. Be submitted electronically as part of the initial grant application.

PI 37.03(1)(c)2. 2. Include the applicant’s name, date of expense, verification that the applicant incurred the expense, the amount, and the payee.

PI 37.03(1)(c)3. 3. Clearly account for and substantiate all costs described in the application.

PI 37.03(1)(d) (d) Timing. The applicant must submit the documentation required under par. (c) and sub. (3) to the superintendent for initial reimbursement during the first school year in which the applicant meets the requirements under par. (a).

PI 37.03(2) (2) Annual grants.

PI 37.03(2)(a) (a) Eligibility. In each of the 9 school years after receipt of an initial reimbursement grant under sub. (1), individuals who received a grant under sub. (1) are eligible to apply to the state superintendent for an annual grant if they satisfy all of the following requirements:

PI 37.03(2)(a)1. 1. The applicant maintains their national board certification or tier IV Wisconsin master educator license.

PI 37.03(2)(a)2. 2. The applicant maintains their license as a teacher by the state superintendent or remains employed in a private school or tribal school located in this state.

PI 37.03(2)(a)3. 3. The applicant remains employed as a teacher in this state in the area in which they are nationally certified or hold a Wisconsin master educator license under subch. VI or VII of PI 34.

PI 37.03(2)(a)4. 4. If the applicant is required to be evaluated under ss. 115.415 and 121.02 (1) (q), Stats., they received a rating of effective or highly effective in the educator effectiveness system on their most recent evaluation. If an applicant is employed at a private or tribal school, the private or tribal school verifies the educator is effective or highly effective.

PI 37.03(2)(a)5. 5. The applicant is not receiving a concurrent grant under this section in the same school year.

PI 37.03(2)(b) (b) Amount.

PI 37.03(2)(b)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., the amount of each annual grant awarded under par. (a) shall be $2,500.

PI 37.03(2)(b)2. 2. The amount of each annual grant under par. (a) shall be $5,000 in any school year in which the recipient is employed as a teacher in a school in which at least 60 percent of the pupils enrolled satisfy the income eligibility criteria for a free or reduced-price lunch under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1), based on the prior school year’s certified data.

PI 37.03(2)(c) (c) Timing. The completed application, district verification and all supporting documentation for an annual grant must be submitted to the department before the end of the school year in which the grant will be awarded.

PI 37.03(3) (3) Application requirements. An educator applying for initial reimbursement or an annual grant under this chapter shall provide the state superintendent with all of the following information:

PI 37.03(3)(a) (a) A certified copy of the applicant’s national board certificate if verification is not publicly available through the national board.

PI 37.03(3)(b) (b) A completed application provided by the department with supporting documentation.

PI 37.03(3)(c) (c) A form provided by the department and completed by the public, private or tribal school administrator or their designee including verification of the following:

PI 37.03(3)(c)1. 1. The applicant’s employment as a full-time teacher in this state.

PI 37.03(3)(c)2. 2. The applicant’s employment in the subject area in which they have obtained national board certification or tier IV master educator licensure.

PI 37.03(3)(c)3. 3. The applicant has received a rating of effective or highly effective as defined under s. PI 34.02 (3m), or other criteria established by a private or tribal school if the applicant is employed at the private or tribal school.

PI 37.03 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00; CR 01-132: r. (1) (a) 3., (b) 3., (2) (c), renum. (1) (a) 4. to be (1) (a) 3. and (1) (b) 4. to be (1) (b) 3. Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; EmR0813: emerg. am. eff. 5-17-08; CR 08-044: am. Register January 2009 No. 637, eff. 2-1-09; CR 15-029: am. (1) (a) 2., cr. (1) (a) 4., am. (1) (b) 2., cr. (1) (b) 4. Register October 2015 No. 718, eff. 11-1-15; numbering correction in (1) (b) 4. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., s. 35.17, Stats., and correction of Section 6 of CR 15-029 (PI 37.03 (1) (b) 2., not PI 37.032 (2) (a) 2., is amended) Register October 2015 No. 718; CR 15-073: am. (1) (c), (2) (c) Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16; CR 19-069: am. (1) (a) Register February 2020 No. 770, eff. 3-1-20; CR 25-008: r. and recr. Register June 2025 No. 834, eff. 7-1-25; correction in (1) (a) 4. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2025 No. 834.

PI 37.05 PI 37.05 Review of applications and awarding of grants. The state superintendent shall review the applications submitted under this chapter and shall award grants if the applicant meets all of the criteria specified under s. PI 37.03.

PI 37.05 Note Note: Additional information regarding the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards may be obtained by contacting the Board at 1525 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22209; [phone]; Website: www.nbpts.org.

PI 37.05 Note PI-1669-Initial, National Teacher Certification by NBPTS Initial Reimbursement Grant Application, may be obtained at no charge from the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or by going to the department’s web site at https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/licensing/types/master/national-board.

PI 37.05 Note PI-1645-Annual, National Teacher Certification by NBPTS Annual Grant Application, may be obtained at no charge from the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or by going to the department’s web site at https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/licensing/types/master/national-board.

PI 37.05 Note PI-1677-Initial, Master Educator License by WMEAP Initial Reimbursement Grant Application, may be obtained at no charge from the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or by going to the department’s web site at https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/licensing/types/master-educator.

PI 37.05 Note PI-1679-Annual, Master Educator License by WMEAP Annual Grant Application, may be obtained at no charge from the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or by going to the department’s web site at https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/licensing/types/master-educator.

PI 37.05 Note Additional information regarding Wisconsin incentives may be obtained by contacting the Department of Public Instruction Teacher Education and Licensing, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841; [phone].

PI 37.05 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00.