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Leading Forward: Educator Preparation Programs

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High-quality preparation matters. It impacts retention and persistence in the profession and student outcomes. Effective preparation includes coursework, field experiences, and student teaching.


Educator Preparation Programs

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To receive a Tier II or Tier III educator license in Wisconsin, applicants can complete an approved program and demonstrate competency in the Wisconsin Educator Standards. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction approves educator preparation programs leading to licensure at entities including Wisconsin colleges/universities, CESAs, school districts, and private companies.

Under the program approval approach to educator licensing, Wisconsin-approved program completers are granted a license by the Department of Public Instruction based on the endorsement (i.e. recommendation) by the certification officer of the approved program.

If the approved program is offered through one of the thirty-three Wisconsin colleges and universities, the program can lead to a degree (e.g. Bachelor’s, Master’s, Education Specialist) and/or licensure only based on the licensure program requirements.

If the approved program is offered by an entity that is not a college or university, the candidate in this program must meet the minimal degree requirements prior to admission. These approved programs do not grant a degree.

To search all approved educator preparation programs, use Find a Prep Program button below to download an Excel spreadsheet.  Note: The spreadsheet is updated often. Revisit the link to access the most up-to-date list.

 

For information about each approved program, please contact the program directly using the Contact Information for Approved Educator Preparation Programs below.

Resources for Educator Preparation Programs

Program Approval

The program approval process is a review of an entity’s educator preparation program. The review process ensures that Wisconsin’s educator preparation programs meet the performance-based standards and statutory and rule requirements specified in Wis. Stat. 118.19 and Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 34. In addition, the process requires that entities develop collaborative relationships with the PK-12 education community to promote continuous improvement throughout an educator’s professional career.

Entities have flexibility under Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 34 to develop distinct preparation programs that reflect their unique missions, goals, and structures. Entities are responsible for providing evidence that their programs prepare educators who can meet the standards established by the State of Wisconsin in Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 34 Subch. III and IV. The evidence is reviewed during the program approval process to ensure that entities have met all program approval requirements of Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 34.

Program Approval Resources

Licensing Resources

Other Resources

Educator Preparation and Workforce Analysis Annual Reports

In compliance with Act 166, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) produces an annual report of the state’s educator preparation programs (EPP). The report includes information on program completers and first-time passage rates on state-required performance assessments.

Review details in the latest report:
2023 Educator Preparation Program and Workforce Analysis Report covers data from 2022-2023 including data on enrollment and completion of educator preparation programs, passage rates on licensure exams, educator recruitment, shortage areas, demographics, salary and fringe, retention, and retirement. Appendix A contains information regarding where teachers who complete programs go on to work in Wisconsin based on locale code.

For previous reports:
Annual State Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Reports

Licensure Program Content Guidelines

WI educator preparation programs must demonstrate alignment with national standards or licensure content guidelines as indicated below for program approval. The department uses the standards embedded in Subchapter II of PI 34 and national standards for license subject area content guidelines. Wisconsin content guidelines are utilized when there are no national standards available specific to the license. Educator Preparation Programs should contact their DPI liaison with questions.

Standards and guidelines are grouped below by program type:

 

Administration content guidelines

National standards should be adopted for the following licenses unless otherwise indicated. The license-specific standards are available using these links. 
Educator Preparation Programs should contact their DPI liaison with questions.

Licenses Content Guidelines
District Administrator (5003) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards
Director of Instruction (5010)

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards
 

Director of Special Education and Pupil Services (5080)

Council for Exceptional Children: Administrator of Special Education Professional Leadership Standards

or

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards
 

Principal (5051) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
Building Level Standards
 
Program Coordinator -
Athletics and Co-curricular Director (5027)

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards

Program Coordinator - Career and Technical Education (5093)

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards

or

WI Content Guidelines for Career & Technical Education Coordinator

Program Coordinator -
Gifted and Talented (5013)

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards

Reading Specialist (5017)

International Literacy Association (ILA) Standards for Preparation of Literacy Professionals: Literacy Coordinator/Supervisor Set

or

National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards

School Business Administrator (5008) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP)
District Level Standards
 

Pupil Services content guidelines

National standards should be adopted for the following areas. The license-specific national standards are available using these links.
Educator Preparation Programs should contact their DPI liaison with questions.

Licenses Content Guidelines
School Counselor (7054)

American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Standards for School Counselor Preparation Programs

or

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards for School Counseling

School Psychologist (7062) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Professional Standards
School Social Worker (7050) National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Standards for School Social Work Services
 

Teaching content guidelines

National standards should be adopted for the following areas unless otherwise indicated. The license-specific standards are available using these links.
Educator Preparation Programs should contact their DPI liaison with questions.

Looking for content guidelines for supplemental licenses? Jump to that section.

Licenses Content Guidelines
Agriculture Education (1200) American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Standards for School-Based Agricultural Education
Alternative Education (1952) WI Content Guidelines for Alternative Education
Art (1550)

Contact your DPI liaison for guidance in adoption:
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Handbook

Blind and Visual Impairments (1825) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Specialty Set: Blind & Visual Impairments
Business Education (1250) National Business Education Association (NBEA): Business Teacher Education Curriculum Guide and Program Standards (REQUIRES PURCHASE)
Computer Science (1405) Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Standards for Computer Science Teachers
Dance (1536) National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Professional Teaching Standards for Dance Arts
Deaf or Hard of Hearing (1805) Council for Exceptional Children: Initial Specialty Set for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Early Childhood (1777) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
Early Childhood - Special Education (1809) Council of Exceptional Children (CEC): Early Interventionist/Early Childhood Special Educator (EI/ECSE) Standards
Elementary and Middle School (2088)

Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards*

and

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

*Educator preparation programs should contact their liaison regarding the AMLE standards they will focus on that best address preparing educators to teach in the middle level.

English as a Second Language (1395) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Standards for Initial TESOL Pre-K–12 Teacher Preparation Programs
English Language Arts (1300) National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Standards for the Initial Preparation of Teachers of English Language Arts 7–12
Family and Consumer Education (1210) National Association of Teacher Educators for Families and Consumer Sciences (NATEFACS): National Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Health (1910) Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America: National Standards for Initial Health Education Teacher Education
Instructional Library Media Specialist (1902)

American Library Association / American Association of School Librarians (ALA/AASL): School Librarian Standards

or

WI Content Guidelines for Library Media Specialist

Latin (1350)

If using ACTFL contact your DPI liaison for guidance in adoption: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers

or

Society for Classical Studies Standards

Marketing Education (1285) WI Content Guidelines for Marketing Education
Mathematics (1400)

Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE): Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics

or

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM): Standards for Mathematics Teacher Preparation

Music (2500)

Contact your DPI liaison for guidance in adoption:
National Association of Schools of Music Standards

Physical Education (1530) Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America: National Standards for Initial Physical Education Teacher Education
Science (2600) National Science Teaching Association (NSTC) Standards for Teacher Preparation
Social Studies (2700) National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers
Special Education K-12 (2801) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Special Educators (Initial K-12 Standards)
Speech-Language Pathology (1820)

American Speech-Language-Hearing (ASHA) Standards

*Educator preparation programs should contact their liaison regarding the ASHA standards they will focus on that best address preparing educators to teach.

Technology Education (1220) WI Content Guidelines for Technology Education
Theater (1325) Contact your DPI liaison for guidance in adoption:
National Association of Schools of Theater (NAST) Standards for Theater Education
World Languages

Contact your DPI liaison for guidance in adoption:
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers

 

Supplemental license content standards
 

Licenses Content Guidelines
Adaptive Education (1859) WI Content Guidelines for Adaptive Education
Adapted Physical Education (1860) Adapted Physical Education National Standards
Alternative Education (1952) WI Content Guidelines for Alternative Education
Assistive Technology (1858) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Advanced Specialty Set: Special Education Technology Specialist
Bilingual-Bicultural (1023)

National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards (NDLETPS)

Coaching Athletics (1540) Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America Standards for Sport Coaches
Driver Education (1450, 1455)

Contact your DPI liaison for guidance:
PI 34.080 requirements

Gifted and Talented (1014)

National Association for Gifted Children/Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Teacher Preparation Standards in Gifted and Talented Education Standards

Reading Teacher (1316) International Literacy Association Standards: Reading Literacy Specialist Set