School Social Worker: Applicants for school social worker licensure must obtain a master's degree in social work from a graduate school of social work program and complete a social work practicum of at least 500 supervised hours in order to receive licensure as a school social worker. Temporary approval shall be granted to a school social worker for the initial year of service. For full approval, a school social worker must also have documentation from employing distinct of satisfactory completion of 1 year of service.
- Minnesota: Minnesota rules regarding the license types affected by this rule are as follows:
School Nurse: Districts with 1,000 students or more are required to hire at least one full time licensed school nurse. Schools under 1,000 have no similar requirements. In Minnesota, a license to work as a school nurse is obtained through the Professional Education Licensing and Standards Board. In order to be eligible for that license, registered nurses need to have a public health nursing certificate from the Board of Nursing in addition to their RN license. Applicants are eligible for the public health nursing certificate through public health coursework in the classroom and clinical settings in a bachelor of nursing (BSN) program. All Minnesota BSN programs offer the public health coursework but many out of state transfers have not had the clinical portion. School nurses who obtain the school nurse license use the credentials of “LSN” to indicate this licensure.
School Psychologist: Applicants for school psychologist licensure must graduate from a NASP-approved program or hold the NCSP credential in order to receive licensure. Individuals are eligible for temporary school psychologist licensure if they hold a master's degree in school psychology or have completed two years of graduate school training. This license is granted on a temporary basis for up to two years and may be renewed up to three times. Graduates from non-NASP approved programs and interns may be eligible for this license.
School Social Worker: Applicants for school social worker licensure must provide evidence of completing a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and evidence of holding current Minnesota Board of Social Work licensure. An MSW is not required, nor is specific school social work coursework or practicum.
Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies:
The proposed rule will address the revisions below with respect to the licensing of pupil services professionals.
- School Nurse: A school nurse license under s. PI 34.060 is not required for an individual to be a school nurse if the individual has a registered nurse license issued by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. A school nurse license issued under s. PI 34.060 is an optional license. Under the proposed rule, applicants who seek this optional license must complete a school nurse practicum in an approved preparation program and receive an institutional endorsement as a condition for licensure under ch. PI 34. The department proposes to allow national certification as an alternative pathway to licensure under ch. PI 34 while bestowing the title and credentials of Licensed School Nurse (LSN) to any registered nurse who is issued the school nurse license under ch. PI 34. The National Board for Certification of School Nurses confirms competency in the specialty and those reaching this certification use the credential NCSN. The department also proposes technical changes to ch. PI 34 which will further align this rule to statute and agency practice. Without a rule change, the department would be required to implement rule and statute as they currently exist and applicants would only be able to obtain school nurse licensure under ch. PI 34 through existing pathways. - School Psychologist: A license issued under s. PI 34.061 authorizes an individual to work as a school psychologist. The National Association of School Psychologists accredits school psychology preparation programs, including all preparation programs for school psychologists in Wisconsin. However, 33 states use the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential as a pathway for school psychologist licensure and nine states allow maintenance of the NCSP for license renewal. The department proposes amending its rules around the licensure of school psychologists in order to recruit and retain high quality school psychologists. The department proposes clarifying its rule to accept NCSP accreditation from individuals who are certified as school psychologists from other states as a pathway to licensure as a school psychologist in Wisconsin. Without a rule change, the department would be required to implement ch. PI 34 as the rules currently exist and applicants would be required to obtain licensure as a school psychologist through existing pathways. - School Social Worker: A license issued under s. PI 34.062 authorizes an individual to work as a school social worker. Under the current rule, applicants must in part complete the requirements of an approved preparation program and hold an MSW. The department proposes to create an additional pathway for applicants seeking licensure as a school social worker. Under the proposed rule, a clinically trained social worker may obtain tier II licensure if the applicant holds a master’s degree in social work, has at least one year of successful experience in Wisconsin schools while holding a tier I school social worker license, and has successfully completed training in developmental psychopathology, assessment of children, child abuse and neglect, working with children and families, equity and conflict resolution, and children with disabilities. Without a rule change, the department would be required to implement ch. PI 34 as the rules currently exist and applicants would be required to obtain licensure as a school social worker under existing rule. Finally, the department has identified technical revisions under the section governing the eligibility for and renewal of tier I licenses under s. PI 34.028 which need to be made to align with this proposed rule. These changes do not substantively change the content of the section. Without these changes, the department would be unable to implement the other provisions of this rule as proposed. 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
Administrative Rules Coordinator
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 266-3275
Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
Comments should be submitted to Carl Bryan, Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or at adminrules@dpi.wi.gov. The department will publish a hearing notice in the Administrative Register which will provide information on the deadline for the submission of comments. RULE TEXT
SECTION 1. PI 34.028 (1) is amended to read:
PI 34.028 (1) Authorization. A license issued under this section authorizes the license holder to teach in the grade level and subject area of the license or work as a pupil services professional in the grade level and subject area of the licenseschool social worker, school psychologist, or a school counselor.
SECTION 2. PI 34.028 (2) is repealed and recreated to read:
PI 34.028 (2) Eligibility. The state superintendent may issue a tier I license to an applicant who does not meet all of the requirements for a tier II, III, or IV license if the applicant meets one of the following:
(a) Approved program. The applicant has not met all of the requirements for a tier II license but has completed all of the coursework at an approved program or a program approved in another state leading to licensure in a school setting. The following degree requirements must be satisfied:
1. For a teaching license, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree.
2. For a school social worker or school counselor license, the applicant must hold a master’s degree.
3. For a school psychologist, the applicant must hold a master’s degree or higher.
(b) Intern. If the license is not for special education, the applicant is assigned to a school by an educator preparation program and all of the following occur:
1. The educator preparation program recommends the applicant for licensure.
2. The applicant is enrolled as a senior at a baccalaureate program or is enrolled in a post−baccalaureate program.
3. The applicant will be supervised by an individual who is fully licensed in the specific license area of the internship or residency program.
(c) School district need. The applicant is hired to meet a school district need and meets all of the following requirements:
1. The applicant holds the following degree:
a. For a teaching license, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
b. For a school social worker or school counselor license, the applicant must either hold a master’s degree in the area of licensure or a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution and verification of enrollment in an approved program leading to the license for the assignment.
c. For a school psychologist license, the applicant must hold a master’s degree in the area of licensure and verify enrollment in an approved program leading to the school psychologist license.
2. The applicant’s employing school district conducted a search for a fully licensed candidate and no fully licensed candidates were acceptable for the assignment.
3. The district administrator of the employing school district submitted a written request to the state superintendent on behalf of the applicant on a form provided by the department.
(d) Speech-language pathologist. Notwithstanding par. (a), for a tier I license in speech-language pathology, the applicant holds a master’s degree and a valid speech-language pathologist license issued by the department of safety and professional services.
(e) Clinically-trained social worker. Notwithstanding par. (a), for a tier I license as a clinically-trained social worker, the applicant holds a master’s degree in social work and a valid social work certificate or license issued by the social worker section of the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board.
SECTION 3. PI 34.028 (3) is amended to read:
PI 34.028 (3) Duration. A license issued under this section ismay be valid for 1 year.
SECTION 4. PI 34.028 (4) is repealed and recreated to read:
(4) Renewal. (a) Subject to s. PI 34.039, a license issued under sub. (2) (a) or (c) may be renewed if the district administrator of the employing school district requests renewal and one of the following occurs during the term of the license: 1. The license holder under sub. (2) (c) is enrolled in an approved program and successfully completed at least 6 semester credits or the equivalent in the program.
2. The license holder under sub. (2) (a) or (c) who completed all of the coursework or its equivalent in the approved program attempted to complete all of the tests required for licensure.
3. If the license holder under sub. (2) (a) or (c) does not meet the requirements under subd. 1. or 2., the district administrator of the employing school district submits to the state superintendent a written plan that demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, that the license holder will complete all of the licensure requirements.
(b) A license under sub. (2) (d) may be renewed if the applicant continues to meet the requirements under sub. (2) (d) and has not yet become eligible for tier II licensure under s. PI 34.040. (c) A license under sub. (2) (e) may be renewed if the applicant continues to meet the requirements under sub. (2) (e) and has not yet become eligible for tier II licensure under s. PI 34.040. SECTION 5. PI 34.040 (2) (intro.) is amended to read:
