• Increasing the number of consecutive days that a short-term substitute can be in the same assignment from 20 to 45 days. This should allow schools enough time to either find a properly licensed educator for the position or apply for an emergency license or permit for an educator who does not hold a license acceptable for the assignment.
• Expanding the renewal options for emergency licenses to include attempting to pass required tests for licensure for educators who have met all other requirements and submitting a plan to complete an approved program.
• Expanded the pathway for teachers to add additional licenses based on content tests to allow:
• Teachers who hold an Early Adolescence-Adolescence (grades 5-12) regular education license can add another regular education license at the same developmental/grade level by passing a content test.
• Teachers who hold a Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence (grades 1-8) regular education license and have at least four semesters of teaching experience in grades 1 or 2 can add a regular education license at the Early Childhood level (birth to grade 3) by passing the Praxis II Elementary Education Content Knowledge test and the Foundations of Reading Test.
• Teachers who hold a Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence (grades 1-8) regular education license and have at least four semesters of teaching experience in English/language arts or math in grades 7 or 8 can add a license in that subject at the Early Adolescence-Adolescence level by passing a content test.
Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulations: N/A
Comparison with rules in adjacent states: N/A
Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies:
In order to address staffing difficulties in school districts, this emergency rule makes changes to existing administrative code to make the teacher licensing process more amenable to school district staffing needs.
Analysis and supporting documents used to determine effect on small business or in preparation of economic impact report: N/A
Anticipated costs incurred by private sector: N/A
Effect on small business:
The proposed rules will have no significant economic impact on small businesses, as defined in s. 227.114 (1) (a), Stats. Agency contact person: (including email and telephone)
Carl Bryan
Budget and Policy Analyst
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 267-9127
Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
Comments should be submitted to Carl Bryan using the contact information above. The Department will publish a hearing notice in the Administrative Register which will provide information on the deadline for the submission of comments.
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SECTION 1. PI 34.18 (4) is created to read:
(4) Five-year nonrenewable license.
(a) A five-year, nonrenewable professional educator license may be issued to an applicant who meets all of the following requirements:
1. The applicant has attained the age of 55 as of July 1 of the school year in which the license is issued.
2. The applicant holds or has held a license issued under sub. (1), s. PI 34.19, or s. PI 34.20 (2). (b) A license issued under par. (a) shall be in the subject area or position of the license the applicant holds or held under sub. (1), s. PI 34.19, or s. PI 34.20 (2). SECTION 2. PI 34.21 (1) (c) is amended to read:
(c) A license under this subsection may be renewed if the district administrator or designated official of the employing school district requests that the license be renewed and if the applicant satisfactorily completes at least 6 semester credits or the equivalent coursework toward completion of an approved program in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license.the applicant did one of the following during the term of the emergency license:
1. Satisfactorily completed at least 6 semester credits in an approved licensure program at an IHE or the equivalent coursework toward completion of a Wisconsin approved alternative route program in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license.
2. Attempted to complete all of the tests required for licensure in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license.
SECTION 3. PI 34.21 (1) (d) is created to read:
(d) If an applicant does not meet the renewal requirements under par. (c), a license under this subsection may be renewed if the district administrator or designated official of the employing school district submits to the department a written program plan that demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, that the applicant will complete licensure requirements in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license during the term of the renewed license.
SECTION 4. PI 34.21 (2) (c) and (d) are amended to read:
(c) The district administrator or designated official of the employing school district requests the permit to be issued. This request shall be in writing and shall provide a justification of need. The request shall state that a search for a fully licensed candidate was conducted and that no fully licensed individuals were availableacceptable for the assignment.
(d) A permit under this subsection may be renewed if the district administrator or designated official of the employing school district requests that the permit be renewed. The permit may be renewed if, between the date of issuance and the proposed renewal date, the applicant satisfactorily completes at least 6 semester credits or the equivalent coursework toward completion of an approved program in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency permit. The request for renewal shall be in writing, shall include a full explanation of the need for renewal and shall state that a search was conducted for a fully-licensed teacher and that a fully-licensed teacher is not available.did one of the following during the term of the emergency license:
1. Satisfactorily completed at least 6 semester credits in an approved licensure program at an IHE or the equivalent coursework toward completion of a Wisconsin approved alternative route program in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license.
2. Attempted to complete all of the tests required for licensure in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license.
SECTION 5. PI 34.21 (2) (e) is created to read:
(e) If an applicant does not meet the renewal requirements under par. (d), a license under this subsection may be renewed if the district administrator or designated official of the employing school district submits to the department a written program plan that demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, that the applicant will complete licensure requirements in the teacher or pupil services area of the emergency license during the term of the renewed license.
SECTION 6. PI 34.23 is repealed and recreated to read:
(1) License. A renewable substitute license may be issued for a period of 5 years to an applicant who has held or is eligible to hold a Wisconsin license issued under subch. VII, VIII, or IX, or the equivalent license in another state. A license issued under this subsection shall be in the subject or position and the developmental or grade level of the license the applicant has held, is eligible to hold under subch. VII, VIII, or IX, or the equivalent license in another state.
(2) Long-term substitute. A school district may employ an individual as a long-term substitute if the individual is a licensed substitute under sub. (1) or is fully licensed for the assignment. A long-term substitute may be employed only in the subject or position and grade level in which the individual is licensed.
(3) Short-term substitute. A school district may employ an individual as a short-term substitute teacher for no more than 45 consecutive days in the same teaching assignment. A short-term substitute may be employed to teach any subject at any grade level. A school district may only employ an individual as a short-term substitute if the individual has one of the following:
(a) A license issued under subch. VII, VIII, or IX.
(b) A substitute license issued under sub. (1).
(c) A substitute teacher permit issued under s. PI 34.24. SECTION 7. PI 34.24 (1) is amended to read:
(1) A substitute teacher permit authorizes an individual to be a short-term substitute under s. PI 34.23(3). A substitute teacher permit may be issued to a person who holds a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university but does not meet the substitute teacher license requirements under s. PI 34.23 (1). SECTION 8. PI 34.27 (1) (d) is amended to read:
(d) LicensesExcept as provided in par. (e), licenses may be issued under this section to individuals who complete an approved program including evidence of meeting the standards in s. PI 34.02, the requirements in s. PI 34.15 (4), and the content knowledge test described under s. PI 34.15 (2) (a) 3. a. SECTION 9. PI 34.27 (e) and (f) are created to read:
(e) An individual may be issued an additional license under sub. (2) if the individual meets all of the following requirements:
1. The individual is licensed under s. PI 34.28 (2) or under s. PI 34.25 in elementary education that includes grades 1 and 2. 2. The individual has at least 4 semesters of teaching experience in a self-contained classroom in grades 1 or 2.
3. The individual has successfully completed the content knowledge test prescribed by the state superintendent under s. PI 34.15 (2) (a) 3. a. 4. The individual has passed the exam required under s. 118.19.(14), Stats. (f) A license issued under par. (e) shall have the same license expiration date as the applicant’s valid initial educator or professional educator teaching license. The license term for a license issued under par. (e) for an applicant holding a master educator or life license in teaching shall not exceed 5 years. The start date of an additional license issued under par. (e) shall be July 1 of the next calendar year if the tests required under par. (e) are completed after August 31.
SECTION 10. PI 34.29 (1) (e) 1. is renumbered 34.29 (1) (e) and is amended to read:
(e) Individuals who hold a professionalan educator license under the subcategories under sub. (2) (a) 1., may be issued an additional license in under sub. (2) (a) 1. by successfully completing an additional content knowledge standardized examinationtest prescribed by the state superintendent in the subject area of the additional license.
SECTION 11. PI 34.29 (1) (e) 2. and 3. and 4. are repealed.
