February 17, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Pope, Considine, Shelton,
Spreitzer, Hebl, Emerson, Vruwink, B. Meyers, Milroy, Anderson, Sinicki,
Hintz, Cabrera and Subeck, cosponsored by Senators Erpenbach, Bewley,
Larson, Roys, Ringhand, Agard, Smith, Pfaff and Carpenter. Referred to
Committee on Education.

AB1039,1,7 1An Act to amend 115.28 (7) (b), 118.19 (1), 118.19 (1b), 118.19 (1c) (b) (intro.),
2118.19 (3) (a), 118.19 (3) (b), 118.19 (10) (b) 1., 118.191 (2) (a), 118.191 (2) (b),
3118.191 (2m), 118.191 (3), 118.191 (4), 118.192 (4), 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. and 119.23
4(2) (a) 6. a.; and to create 115.7915 (2) (i), 118.60 (2) (a) 6m., 118.60 (2) (c) 3.,
5119.23 (2) (a) 6m. and 119.23 (2) (c) 3. of the statutes; relating to: teacher
6licensure in parental choice programs and in the Special Needs Scholarship
7Program and granting rule-making authority.

With certain exceptions, this bill requires that, beginning on July 1, 2024,
teachers at private schools participating in a parental choice program or in the
Special Needs Scholarship Program must hold a license or permit issued by the
Department of Public Instruction. Under current law, teachers at choice schools
must have at least a bachelor's degree from a nationally or regionally accredited
institution of higher education, but they are not required to be licensed by DPI.
There are no current law requirements regarding who may teach at SNSP schools.

The bill provides an exception for a teacher who teaches only courses in
rabbinical studies. In addition, the bill provides a grace period for a teacher who has
been teaching for at least the five consecutive years immediately preceding July 1,
2024, which allows the teacher to apply for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver of the

licensure requirement. An applicant for a waiver must submit a plan for becoming
licensed as required under the bill.