Teacher Education and Licensing

Note: Chapter PI 3 as it existed on June 30, 2004 was repealed effective July 1, 2004. See Chapter PI 34 for replacement rules.

Subchapter II - General Requirements for a License

PI 3.05 General requirements for a license.A license may be issued in Wisconsin to an applicant who has satisfactorily completed an approved program, who has received the institutional endorsement and who has completed the following requirements:

(1) SPECIAL EDUCATION EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1981. An applicant who completed an initial professional education program on or after July 1, 1981, shall have completed at least 3 semester credits or the equivalent in special education. The equivalent may be accomplished in part or in full by including study of the handicapped child in other course work. Course work shall provide the student with all of the following:

(a) Knowledge of exceptional educational need areas as defined by state law under ch. 115, subch. V, Stats., and federal law, under Public Law 94-142.

(b) Knowledge of the major characteristics of the disability areas in order to recognize their existence in children.

(c) Knowledge of various alternatives for providing the least restrictive environment for children with exceptional educational needs.

(d) Knowledge of methods of teaching pupils with exceptional educational needs effectively in the regular classroom.

(e) Knowledge of referral systems, multi-disciplinary team responsibilities, and individualized education plan processes.

(2) HUMAN RELATIONS PRIOR TO AUGUST 31, 1992. Preparation in human relations, including intergroup relations, shall be included in professional education programs for all professional school personnel completing initial professional education programs prior to August 31, 1992. Institutions shall provide evidence that preparation in human relations, including intergroup relations, is an integral part of programs leading to the initial license and that members of various racial, cultural, and economic groups have participated in the development of the programs.

(a) Preparation shall include all of the following:

1. Development of attitudes, skills, and techniques, so that knowledge of human relations, including intergroup relations, can be translated into learning experiences for students.

2. A study of the values, life styles, and contributions of racial, cultural, and economic groups in American society.

3. An analysis of the forces of racism, prejudice, and discrimination in American life and the impact of these forces on the experiences of the majority and minority groups.

4. Structured experiences in which prospective teachers have opportunities to examine their own attitudes and feelings about issues of racism, prejudice, and discrimination.

5. Direct involvement with members of racial, cultural, and economic groups or with organizations working to improve human relations, including intergroups relations.

6. Experiences in evaluating the ways in which racism, prejudice, and discrimination can be reflected in instructional materials.

(b) Programs of implementation and evaluation shall be submitted to the department for approval.

(2m) HUMAN RELATIONS, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have completed human relations preparation, which includes all of the following:

(a) Theory and application of human relations practices, including skill building activities in identifying and constructively responding to expressions or acts which devalue other persons.

(b) History, culture, customs, social institutions, values, lifestyles, and contributions of women and various racial, cultural, and economic groups in the United States, with specific attention to the history, culture and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state.

(c) Constitutional and legal bases related to the status of women and various racial and cultural groups in the United States.

(d) Psychological and social implications of the forces of discrimination, especially racism and sexism, and their broader impact on relationships among members of various groups in the United States.

(e) Philosophical and psychological bases of the development and change of attitudes.

(f) Evaluation of the impact of the forces of discrimination, especially racism and sexism, on language, instructional materials, learning activities, learning styles, interaction between staff and pupils, tests and measurement, and school environments; and assessment and if necessary, modifications of curriculum to assure multicultural and nonsexist content.

(g) Professionally-related direct involvement with adult and pupil members of a group whose background the student does not share, including at least one of the following designated ethnic minority groups: African-Americans, Alaskan-Americans, American Indians, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Pacific Islander Americans and foreign persons of color; and with disabled persons; and with various economic groups, including low income.

(3) READING PRIOR TO AUGUST 31, 1992. (a) An applicant who completes an initial professional education program for licensure to teach in an elementary or middle school on or after July 1, 1975, and prior to August 31, 1992, shall have satisfactorily completed at least one discrete course in the teaching of reading. The course shall include information about the nature of the reading process and how to teach reading at the classroom level and shall focus upon the objectives, approaches, instructional materials, and practices and evaluation procedures involved in the teaching of reading in the elementary schools.

(b) An applicant who completes an initial professional education program for licensure to teach in a secondary school on or after July 1, 1977, and prior to August 31, 1992, shall have satisfactorily completed at least one discrete course in the teaching of reading. The course for secondary teachers shall be concerned with providing continued reading instruction for all pupils enrolled in secondary schools.

(c) To be licensed to teach in both elementary and secondary schools in Wisconsin, an applicant shall have completed either par. (a) or (b).

(3m) READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have completed course work in the teaching of reading and language arts appropriate to his or her level of licensure as follows:

(a) Early childhood level education. For an early childhood level license, the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 12 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including all of the following:

1. A developmental reading course focusing on the emergent reader.

2. A developmental reading course focusing on the elementary level reading program.

3. Children's literature.

4. Language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking, and listening.

5. A clinical experience in teaching reading. If an applicant has completed at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(b) Elementary level education. For an elementary level license, the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 12 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including developmental reading at the elementary level, children's literature, language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking and listening, and a clinical experience in teaching reading. If an applicant has completed at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(c) Elementary/middle level education. For an elementary/middle level license the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 12 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including developmental reading at the elementary level, content area reading, children's and early adolescent literature, language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking and listening, and a clinical experience in teaching reading. If an applicant has completed at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(d) Middle level education. For a middle level license, the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 6 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including developmental reading, content area reading, language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking and listening, and a clinical experience in teaching reading. If an applicant has at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(e) Middle/secondary level education. For a middle/secondary level license, the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 6 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including content area reading, language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking and listening and a clinical experience in teaching reading. If an applicant has completed at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(f) Secondary level education. For a secondary level license, the applicant shall have satisfactorily completed at least 6 semester credits in the teaching of reading and language arts, including content area reading, language arts with an emphasis on writing, speaking and listening, and a clinical experience in teaching reading in the content area. If an applicant has completed at least one year of successful teaching experience, the clinical experience requirement may be waived.

(g) Special subject areas, special education and pupil services. For a license in a special subject area and vocational education, in special education, or in a pupil services area, the applicant shall have completed a discrete course in the teaching of reading and language arts.

(3p) MATHEMATICS, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SCIENCE, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1996. Except for applicants who entered a Wisconsin institution before July 1, 1993, an applicant for an early childhood, elementary, or elementary/middle level license who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1996, shall have satisfactorily completed a course of study which includes 12 semester credits in each of the areas of mathematics, social studies and science and which incorporates the content, the methods of teaching, and the curricula as taught at the early childhood, elementary, and elementary/middle levels in each of those areas.

(4) ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRIOR TO JULY 1, 1985. For a person who completed a program prior to July 1 1985, adequate preparation in conservation of natural resources is required for a license to teach agriculture, science or social science, except psychology.

(4m) ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1985. Adequate preparation in conservation of natural resources is required for a license to teach agriculture; early childhood, elementary, and elementary/middle level education; and for middle, middle/secondary, and secondary level education licenses in science and social science, except psychology. An applicant who completed an initial professional education program for these licenses on or after July 1, 1985, shall have completed an approved program which provides students with all of the following:

(a) Knowledge of the wide variety of natural resources and methods

(b) Knowledge of interactions between the living and non-living elements of the natural environment.

(d) Knowledge of local, national, and global interactions among people and the natural and built environments including all of the following:

1. Historic and philosophical review of the interactions between people and the environment.

2. The social, economic, and political implications of continued growth of the human population.

3. The concept of renewable and non-renewable resources and the principles of resource management.

4. The impact of technology on the environment.

5. The manner in which physical and mental well-being are affected by interaction among people and their environments.

(e) Ability to use affective education methods to examine attitudes and values inherent in environmental problems.

(f) Ability to incorporate the study of environmental problems in whatever subjects or grade level programs the teacher is licensed to teach through the use of all the following methodologies:

1. Outdoor teaching strategies.

2. Simulation.

3. Case studies.

4. Community resource use.

5. Environmental issue investigation, evaluation, and action planning.

(g) Knowledge of ways in which citizens can actively participate in the resolution of environmental problems.

(5) COOPERATIVE MARKETING AND CONSUMER COOPERATIVES. Adequate preparation in cooperative marketing and consumers' cooperatives is required under s. 118.19 (6), Stats., for a license to teach agriculture and all social science subjects except psychology.

(6) STUDENT TEACHING, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1990. (a) An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1990, shall have completed a student teaching experience consisting of full days for a full semester following the daily schedule and semester calendar of the cooperating school or the equivalent, if the applicant completed an initial professional education program outside the state, as required under s. 118.19 (3) (a), Stats. Completion of a college or university approved student teaching experience of less than full days for a full semester, plus 2 consecutive semesters of successful regular classroom teaching experience under the supervision of the employing school district administration shall be considered equivalent.

(b) A two-year minor deficiencies license under s. PI 3.03 (4) may be issued to an applicant who has completed an out-of-state college or university approved student teaching experience of less than full days for a full semester, but who lacks the 2 semesters of regular classroom teaching. Issuance of a regular license shall require successful completion of 2 consecutive semesters of full-time classroom teaching experience under the supervision of the employing school district administration.

(7) PROFICIENCY IN MATHEMATICS, READING, WRITING, AND IN EACH MAJOR, MINOR AND CONCENTRATION, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. Except as provided in par. (b) 2., an applicant, who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall meet the requirements of the subsection.

(a) The applicant shall have received passing scores on standardized examinations in mathematics, reading, and writing. The standardized examinations and the passing scores shall be determined by the state superintendent. Exceptions to this paragraph may be granted by the state superintendent to applicants for an initial license in each licensing year beginning July 1 and ending June 30 the following year based on rationale provided by the school district.

(b) 1. The applicant shall have received a passing score on a standardized examination in each major, minor, concentration, and advanced program in which licensure will be sought. The passing score shall be determined by the state superintendent. The state superintendent may exempt a specific license area from the requirements of this paragraph or may modify the administration and format of the examination if a valid and reliable examination is not commercially available or if the number of licensures in a specific area does not justify the development of a valid, reliable examination.

2. The state superintendent shall establish an effective date for the requirements in subd. 1. and notify institutions offering programs under ch. PI 34 at least 1 year before passing tests in the major, minor, concentration or advanced program will be required for licensure under subd. 1.

(8) CHILDREN AT RISK, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have preparation in issues relating to children at risk, including the pertinent laws concerning child abuse and neglect; suicide; alcohol and other drug abuse; school age parents; delinquency and truancy; developmental disabilities; and the child welfare system, including the children's code, juvenile justice, public health, and social services.

(9) HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have preparation in the historical, philosophical, and social foundations underlying the development and purpose of education and current trends, issues, and various approaches in professional education programs in the United States.

(10) LEGAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENTAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have preparation in the legal, political, and economic aspects and governance of education and the organization, operation, policy making, and administration of schools and educational programs in the United States.

(11) MINIMUM GRADE POINT AVERAGE, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have earned a grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale based on course work in the major, minor and concentration and in professional education course work, except student teaching; or standing in the upper 50% of the class as determined by the policy of the institution. Exceptions to this subsection may be granted by the state superintendent to no more than 20% of the applicants for an initial license in each licensing year beginning July 1 and ending June 30 the following year.

(12) GENERAL EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have completed a general education component which constitutes at least one-third of the semester hours in collegiate level course work required for the institution's baccalaureate degree. Course work included in the professional education sequence and major, minor or concentration may not be included in the general education component.

(13) EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall meet the requirements in either par. (a) or (b).

(a) For an early childhood level license, the applicant shall have preparation in program, curriculum, and instructional approaches which contribute to the preparation of pupils for work, including career explorations, practical application of the basic skills, and employability skills and attitudes.

(b) For an elementary, elementary/middle, or middle level license, the applicant shall have preparation in program, curriculum, and instructional approaches which contribute to the preparation of pupils for work, including career explorations, practical application of the basic skills, economics and American economic institutions, and employability skills and attitudes.

(c) For a middle/secondary, secondary level, or kindergarten through grade 12 license, the applicant shall have preparation in program, curriculum, and instructional approaches which contribute to the preparation of pupils for work, including career exploration and planning; practical application of the basic skills, employability skills and attitudes; knowledge of economics and American economic institutions, including business operations, agriculture and labor; entrepreneurship; and the development of specific occupational skills.

(14) GIFTED AND TALENTED CHILDREN, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 31, 1992. An applicant who completes an initial professional education program on or after August 31, 1992, shall have preparation in identifying pupils who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership or specific academic endeavors, and in ways to provide access to systematic and continuous learning opportunities appropriate to pupils identified as gifted or talented.

(15) CONFLICT RESOLUTION. Except as specified under s. 118.19 (9) (b), Stats., effective July 1, 1996, an applicant who applies for an initial regular license shall demonstrate competency, as verified by a professional education program or school district supervisor, in all of the following:

(a) Resolving conflicts between pupils and between pupils and school staff.

(b) Assisting pupils in learning methods of resolving conflicts between pupils and between pupils and school staff, including training in the use of peer mediation to resolve conflicts between pupils.

(c) Dealing with crises, including violent, disruptive, potentially violent or potentially disruptive situations, that may arise in school or at activities supervised by a school as a result of conflicts between pupils or between pupils and other persons.

History: Cr. Register, April, 1988, No. 388, eff. 5-1-88; am. (3m) (intro.) and (a) (intro.), renum. (13) (a) and (b) to be (b) and (c), cr. (13) (a), Register, February, 1989, No. 398, eff. 3-1-89; am. (7), Register, November, 1990, No. 419, eff. 12-1-90; cr. (3p), (3s) and (3v), am. (6) (b), Register, March, 1992, No. 435, eff. 4-1-92; am. (2) (intro.), (2m) (intro.), (b), (3) (a), (b), (3m) (intro.), (3p), (3s) and (3v), Register, November, 1992, No. 443, eff. 12-1-92; r. and recr. (3p), (3s) and (3v), cr. (15), Register, December, 1994, No. 468, eff. 1-1-95; am. (7) (b) 2., (8) to (10), (13) (a) to (14), Register, September, 1996, No. 489, eff. 10-1-96. emerg. am. (2m) (a), (7) (a), (b) 2., r. and recr. (3m) (g), eff. 7-1-97; r. and recr. (3m) (g), am. (7) (a) and (b) 2., Register, November, 1997, No. 503, eff. 12-1-97; renum. (4) to be (4m), cr. (4), Register, October, 1998, No. 514, eff. 11-1-98.correction in (7)(b)2. made under s. 13.93 (2m)(b)7., Stats., Register July 2003 No. 571.

Direct questions to Educator Licensing.

Last updated on 3/3/2008 9:33:12 AM

PI 3, WISCONSIN LICENSES - General Requirements