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Career and Technical Education Equivalency Credit

Equivalency Credit

Equivalency credit is an option created by legislature and written into state statute (§ 118.33, Wis. Stats., and Chapter PI 18, Wis. Admin. Code) to expand opportunities for students to meet graduation requirements.

Chapter PI 18.02, Wis. Admin. Code, defines "equivalent graduation policy" as "a board policy which meets the credit requirements specified (§ 118.33, Wis. Stats.) for each subject area, but which permits selected equivalent courses as long as such courses contain the time allotment and substantially the same objectives to develop the knowledge, concepts, and skills of the course for which an equivalency is proposed."

In conformity with the equivalency statute, this is an option for career and technical education courses that prove to have sufficient academic content. These approved career and technical education courses have proven to contain the academic content and are taught in a technical and applied setting.

Please use the following instructions to apply for any future equivalency approvals. This process was revised as of August 18, 2026.

CTE Step-by-Step Equivalency Process

  • Establish a committee to review the Career & Technical Education course(s) for Science equivalent status.
  • Review the knowledge and skills of the course the district is seeking for equivalency. Ensure you have a teacher from each subject area on your committee. For example, if you are seeking an Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource (AFNR) course for science equivalency, you should have an AFNR and a science teacher on your review committee. 
  • Perform a crosswalk using the current standards for the Career & Technical Education course subject area you are requesting equivalency credit for.  Be sure your committee reviews their local curriculum to the current state standards in the crosswalk they will complete and include the number of days/hours and knowledge and skills.
Course Subject Area Resources: 
  • Request school board approval for the equivalent course.
  • Submit all documentation to dpiequivalency@dpi.wi.gov:
    • List of committee members and their titles
    • PI 1803 form
    • Documentation of the equivalent course content/syllabus with instruction time
    • Completed crosswalk
  • The equivalent course documents will be reviewed, and the school districts will be notified within 60 days of receipt.
  • If the equivalent course is accepted, the information will be recorded in the Approved CTE Equivalency Courses Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet will be updated annually in June as the UW-System will utilize this spreadsheet for their reference.  
Approved Career & Technical Education (CTE) Equivalency Courses
  • The approved equivalent course will be documented on the student’s transcripts by the school district using a standard identification system. 
    • This designation will be listed next to the course title on the student transcript.
      (ES) = equivalent for science
      (EM) = equivalent for mathematics
      (ESS) = equivalent for social studies
      (EE)= equivalent for English
      For example, a veterinary science course taught by an agriculture instructor for a science equivalent credit would be listed on the student’s transcript as Veterinary Science (ES).
  • The Career & Technical Education equivalent course is to be listed under the Career & Technical Education department. It is a Career & Technical Education teacher teaching a Career & Technical Education course. It is the district’s decision to allow this course for the equivalent option.

For questions about this information, contact dpiequivalency@dpi.wi.gov