Frequently Asked Questions

Professional Growth Requirement for License Renewal

IMPORTANT - The information on this page applies only to those renewal applicants who completed their approved educator preparation program prior to September 1, 2004 under PI 3 rules. If you completed an approved program in a specific category (teaching, pupil services, or administration) for the first-time after August 31, 2004 under PI 34 rules, see the Initial Educator page and/or the FAQs - Professional Development Plan page.

Semester Credit Option
Professional Development Plan Option

I need to take 6 credits for my five-year license renewal. Will any course I take automatically work?

No, we expect that course work will be directly and substantively related to one or more of the licenses you hold and enhance your professional competence as a professional educator in one or more of the Wisconsin Educator Standards in PI 34.02 (teachers), PI 34.03 (administrators) or PI 34.04 (pupil services personnel). You must complete semester credit course work (or quarter credits that can be converted to semester credits) at an accredited baccalaureate or graduate degree-granting college/university. The course work does not have to be at a Wisconsin college/university, but do make sure that the college is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You can check accreditation of a particular institution at the DOE Office of Postsecondary Institutions website. Credits completed at a two-year UW system campus are also acceptable. Independent study, correspondence, or Internet courses offered for semester credit by an accredited institution will also meet our requirement. You can take classes at either the undergraduate or graduate level. You do NOT need to get DPI approval before you take a course IF the course meets the above criteria.

I would like to take two on-line courses to complete my six credits for renewal of my Wisconsin license. Is this acceptable?

DPI accepts semester credits completed on-line for license renewal as long as the course work is completed through a regionally accredited four-year degree-granting college or university, the course work pertains to your area of licensure, the course work was taken within a five-year period of the July 1 start date for license renewal, and the course work is taken for graduate or undergraduate semester credit.

What if I took a course(s) at a Wisconsin technical college? Is that allowed?

Wisconsin Technical College System Schools are not baccalaureate degree-granting institutions; therefore, credits earned in courses offered by those institutions are not acceptable for license renewal under the semester credit option unless they are acceptable for transfer to a four-year accredited baccalaureate degree-granting institution. If you complete a technical college course you must obtain documentation from the Registrar's Office of the Wisconsin Technical College System campus verifying that the course credits are transferable to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution.

I've heard that there are new license renewal requirements. How do the new requirements work?

We have changed our renewal process under PI 34. The new system is based on the Wisconsin Standards with demonstrated knowledge, skills and dispositions for teaching, pupil services, and administration. Teachers, administrators, and pupil service personnel who were licensed under the "old" six credit renewal system can EITHER continue to renew in the same way as in past years OR use a Professional Development Plan (PDP). Also see the FAQs - PDP page.

My license expires on June 30, 2009. I took credits in 2003. Do these count for the renewal of this license?

No, the credits that you use for renewal must be completed in the five-year period PRECEDING the start date of the new license. In other words, since your new license will start on 7/1/09 your renewal credits must be taken between 7/1/2004 and 6/30/2009.

The course work I completed won't be on a transcript until after my license expires. Should I apply for a one-year extension in the meantime?

No, just submit the application and fee as soon as possible. Note, the one-year extension should only be used if you have not met the credit requirement and applying for the one-year extension when you don't need it will only slow down the processing of your application. See the next question for more information.

I don't have the credits required for my five-year renewal completed. What do I do?

IF you have not already had a one-year extension with your last five-year license, you may apply for the extension and complete all course work requirements by the date that one-year license expires. However, if you have already used up this one-year extension option, you are only eligible for a five-year substitute license until you complete the entire renewal credit requirement. Either way, you must submit a completed PI-1602-5R application form to request either the one-year extension or a five-year substitute license.

I am licensed as a teacher and as an administrator. Am I required to take 12 credits (6 semester credits for each area) to renew both licenses?

If both your teaching and your administrator licenses were issued based on state-approved programs completed prior to 9/1/04, then one set of six semester credits may be used to renew both licenses. Note that if the administrator license was issued based on completing an approved program after 8/31/2004, then a Professional Development Plan (PDP) as required by PI 34 rules would be required to renew it.

Can an educator who completed an approved program prior to August 31, 2004 choose to do either a PDP or continue to earn six semester credits for renewal?

An educator who completed an approved program in a licensure category (teaching, administration, pupil services) prior to August 31, 2004 is considered a professional educator in that license category and can either complete a PDP or continue to earn six semester credits for renewal. If this same educator completes an approved program after 8/31/2004 in a new category (teacher, administrator, pupil services), s/he will be licensed as an initial educator in that new category and will need to complete a PDP for advancement to the professional stage and for all future renewal of that license.

Can an educator who completed an approved program prior to August 31, 2004 choose to renew with a PDP and then switch back to the six credits system for later renewals?

Yes, educators who completed an approved program prior to August 31. 2004 can switch back and forth between the PDP renewal option and the six credit renewal option for renewal of that particular license. If an educator selects the PDP renewal option it is important to remember the PDP is a five-year plan that includes annual reviews and activities completed over that five-year period.

Can an educator who completed an approved program before August 31, 2004 and who holds a Professional Educator License but is not currently working in a school setting complete a PDP to renew his/her license?

Professional educators who are not currently employed in school settings can work with a License Renewal Support Center (LRSC), the Quality Educator Interactive (QEI), or Wisconsin PDP to design and document professional growth through the PDP. However, because a PDP is a performance-based process that takes place over the five-year period of the license, s/he will need to document the effect of his/her professional growth on students and their learning. This work can take place in a number of settings such as informal education experiences through museums or parks, after school programs, summer learning experiences, or substitute teaching. More information can be found on the DPI website PDP Page

Related Resources

FAQs - Licensing Topics
FAQs - Five-year Educator License Renewal
FAQs - Adding a New License


Other questions about the professional growth requirement may be directed to Educator Licensing.

Last updated on 7/30/2008 1:34:44 PM