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November 8, 2019 - Introduced by Senator Bernier, cosponsored by
Representatives Kulp, Wittke, Tusler, Dittrich, Skowronski, Wichgers,
Krug, Kerkman and Murphy. Referred to Committee on Universities,
Technical Colleges, Children and Families.
SB554,1,6 1An Act to renumber and amend 115.28 (7) (a); to amend 115.28 (7g) (a)
2(intro.), 115.28 (7g) (a) 1. and 115.383 (2) (intro.); and to create 115.28 (7) (a)
33. b., 115.28 (7) (a) 3. c. and 115.28 (7) (a) 4. of the statutes; relating to:
4requirements for teacher preparatory programs in this state, providing an
5exemption from emergency rule procedures, and requiring the exercise of
6rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, an individual must complete a teacher preparatory program
approved by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to qualify for a license
to teach under the traditional licensure pathway. A teacher preparatory program is
a sequence of courses included in a bachelor's degree program or post baccalaureate
degree program designed to prepare individuals for licensure. Current law requires
the SSPI to establish standards, requirements, and procedures related to approving
teacher preparatory programs.
Under the bill, in order to be approved by the SSPI, a teacher preparatory
program must provide at least six credits of instruction in literacy theory, skills, and
processes (literacy instruction) to individuals in the program who intend to apply for
a license to teach kindergarten to fifth grade, a license to teach special education, a
reading teacher license, or a reading specialist license. Under the bill, the literacy
instruction must align with the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of

Reading from the International Dyslexia Association. The bill also requires each
teacher preparatory program to submit syllabi, names of textbooks, and other
instructional material that will be used in the literacy instruction to the Department
of Public Instruction prior to offering the required literacy instruction. Finally, under
the bill, the SSPI must post on DPI's Internet site the information received from a
teacher preparatory program related to the literacy instruction before the teacher
preparatory program offers the literacy instruction.
Under current law, DPI must consult with the governor's office, the
chairpersons and ranking members of the education committees in the assembly and
senate, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, and the
Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities when performing
specific duties related to evaluating teacher preparatory programs. Under the bill,
DPI must also consult with the chairpersons and ranking members of the higher
education committees in the assembly and senate.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB554,1 1Section 1. 115.28 (7) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 115.28 (7) (a) 1. and
2amended to read:
SB554,2,33 115.28 (7) (a) 1. License all teachers for the public schools of the state; make.
SB554,2,7 42. Make rules establishing standards of attainment and procedures for the
5examination and licensing of teachers within the limits prescribed in ss. 118.19 (2)
6and (3), 118.191, 118.1915, 118.192, 118.193, 118.194, 118.195, and 118.197;
7prescribe
.
SB554,2,10 83. Prescribe by rule standards, requirements, and procedures for the approval
9of teacher preparatory programs leading to licensure, including a all of the
10following:
SB554,3,3 11a. A requirement that, beginning on July 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each
12teacher preparatory program located in this state shall submit to the department a
13list of individuals who have completed the program and who have been

1recommended by the program for licensure under this subsection, together with each
2individual's date of program completion, from each term or semester of the program's
3most recently completed academic year; file.
SB554,3,5 45. File in the state superintendent's office all papers relating to state teachers'
5licenses; and register each such state teacher license.
SB554,2 6Section 2. 115.28 (7) (a) 3. b. of the statutes is created to read:
SB554,3,137 115.28 (7) (a) 3. b. A requirement that, beginning on August 1, 2020, each
8teacher preparatory program located in this state provide at least 6 credits of
9instruction in literacy theory, skills, and processes that align with the most recent
10Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading from the International
11Dyslexia Association to individuals in the program who intend to apply for a license
12to teach grades kindergarten to 5 or special education, a license as a reading teacher,
13or a license as a reading specialist.
SB554,3 14Section 3. 115.28 (7) (a) 3. c. of the statutes is created to read:
SB554,3,1815 115.28 (7) (a) 3. c. A requirement that, before offering instruction required
16under subd. 3. b., a teacher preparatory program submit syllabi, names of textbooks,
17and other instructional material to the department to demonstrate that the teacher
18preparatory program complies with subd. 3. b.
SB554,4 19Section 4 . 115.28 (7) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
SB554,3,2420 115.28 (7) (a) 4. Post information received from teacher preparatory programs
21under subd. 3. c. on the department's Internet site. The state superintendent shall
22ensure that information from a teacher preparatory program is posted on the
23department's Internet site before the teacher preparatory program provides the
24instruction required under subd. 3. b.
SB554,5 25Section 5 . 115.28 (7g) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB554,4,7
1115.28 (7g) (a) (intro.) The department shall, in consultation with the
2governor's office, the chairpersons of the committees in the assembly and senate
3whose subject matter is elementary and secondary education and ranking members
4of those committees, the chairpersons of the committees in the assembly and senate
5whose subject matter is higher education and ranking members of those committees,

6the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, and the Wisconsin
7Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, do all of the following:
SB554,6 8Section 6. 115.28 (7g) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB554,4,169 115.28 (7g) (a) 1. Determine how the performance of individuals who have
10recently completed a teacher preparatory program described in s. 115.28 (7) (a) 3. and
11located in this state or a teacher education program described in s. 115.28 (7) (e) 2.
12and located in this state will be used to evaluate the teacher preparatory and
13education programs. The determination under this subdivision shall, at minimum,
14define “recently completed" and identify measures to assess an individual's
15performance, including the performance assessment made prior to making a
16recommendation for licensure.
SB554,7 17Section 7. 115.383 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB554,4,2518 115.383 (2) (intro.) If the student information system is established under sub.
19(1), each school district, charter school, and private school using the system under
20sub. (1) shall include in the system the following information for each teacher
21teaching in the school district or school who completed a teacher education program
22described in s. 115.28 (7) (a) 3. or (e) 2. and located in this state on or after January
231, 2012, or, for each teacher teaching in a private school participating in a parental
24choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23, who obtained a bachelor's degree from an
25institution located in this state on or after July 1, 2010:
SB554,8
1Section 8. Nonstatutory provisions.
SB554,5,82 (1) Emergency rule authority. Using the procedure under s. 227.24, the
3department of public instruction may promulgate rules under s. 115.28 (7) (a) 3. that
4are necessary to implement the changes in this act. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1)
5(a) and (3), the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a
6rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of
7the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding
8of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
SB554,5,99 (End)
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