You are here

Wisconsin Improvement Program (WIP) – Teaching Internship

DPI is accepting intern requests for the 2024/2025 school year through the online WIP portal.

Deadlines to submit intern requests:

August 1, 2024 - for fall of 2024
December 15, 2024 - for spring of 2025

You may request access to the WIP portal through WISEhome. Note: a secure web access (WAMS) login credential is needed.

How to Access the WIP Portal

Program Description

The Wisconsin Improvement Program (WIP) provides an excellent opportunity for school districts, educator preparation programs, and the Department of Public Instruction to collaborate in the preparation of future teachers. WIP pairs promising student interns with experienced cooperating teachers in a semester-long clinical experience in a school district.

Benefits for school districts participating in the internship program include:

  • Providing students with additional teacher contact when implementing instructional blocks, multi-age instruction, or split-grade classrooms.
  • Providing additional instruction and progress monitoring via the RTI process.
  • Providing differentiation in content-discipline classrooms.
  • Providing another set of hands and a pair of eyes in classrooms with multiple challenges.
  • Providing time for teachers to serve as mentors or coaches.
  • Professional development for cooperating school personnel and interns.
  • Collaborative instructional planning and problem-solving.
  • Opportunity to recruit highly qualified future educators.
  • Opportunity to increase parent communication and involvement.
  • Enhanced partnerships with educator preparation programs.
WIP Handbook

WIP Professional Development Funds

Interns who are placed through WIP and their respective college/university are eligible for reimbursements through WIP professional development funds.

For school districts and interns, applications for reimbursements are due to the DPI by January 31 (fall interns) or June 1 (spring interns).  For institutions of higher education, applications for reimbursements are due to the DPI by June 1.

Related forms

Steps in the WIP Teaching Internship Process

New this year is a streamlined application system that features a customized online portal to view and submit intern requests and uses electronic signature requests through DocuSign.

Steps in the teaching internship process:

  1. Schools/Districts submit an intern request.
    A school-based secure Web Access Management System (WAMS) account is required to access the WIP Portal. If needed, register for an account.
    1. Log-in to WISEhome using the school-based WAMS credentials. Use How to Access the WIP Portal for details.
    2. Once access to the portal is obtained, create an intern request. The WIP Portal QuickStart Guide offers step-by-step directions.

      Following intern request submission, schools/districts can view the request's status in the WIP Portal.
  2. Educator Preparation Programs review approved internship requests using the link emailed directly to them from DPI to determine potential placements for interns.
  3. School districts work with WIP campuses in interviewing candidates and selecting WIP interns.
  4. Intern candidates who are selected for internships apply for intern licenses using the Educator Licensing Online (ELO) system. WIP campuses provide interns with the necessary internship number and subsequently ensure that candidates have acquired their intern licenses using License Lookup. Intern candidates should review information about fingerprinting and proceed to obtain electronic fingerprints if they are required to do so.
  5. School districts and Educator Preparation Programs provide professional development for WIP interns and their cooperating teachers and request reimbursement for the costs according to specifications in the WIP Handbook.
WIP Online Application

The online intern request process accepts intern requests from February 1 to August 1 for fall internships and February 1 to December 15 for spring internships.

Use these step-by-step instructions to request access for your school/district to the WIP portal:

How to Access the WIP Portal

Use this guide to create a new intern request for your school/district:

WIP Portal QuickStart Guide

 

WIP Online Application Links-Campuses and Interns

Internship Request Query

Purpose: To review internship requests submitted by districts that have been approved by DPI

User: IHE

Link: This link will be provided to you directly by DPI

 

Intern License Application

Purpose: To apply for intern license

User: IHE student (intern)

WIP Virtual Drop-In Sessions

If you are interested in learning more about the Wisconsin Improvement Program, have questions about the intern request process, or need assistance navigating through the new online portal, connect through a virtual drop-in session available on the dates listed below.

WIP virtual drop-in sessions will be held on Tuesdays on the following dates for spring 2025: 

  • 9:00am-10:00am – Tuesday, January 14, 2025 
  • 9:00am-10:00am – Tuesday, February 11, 2025 
  • 9:00am-10:00am – Tuesday, March 11, 2025 
  • 9:00am-10:00am – Thursday, April 8, 2025 
  • 9:00am-10:00am – Thursday, May 13, 2025 

For session connection information contact Beth Vander Grinten, Education Consultant, through the licensing online helpdesk.

WIP Internship Request Query

Login Page

  • A link to access all intern requests for your college/university will be emailed to you directly from DPI.

Internship Requests Page

  • This page identifies all approved Internship Requests for the current school year in descending order with the most recent requests listed at the top of the list.
  • The data in the table can be filtered and/or sorted using the criteria provided on the home screen. Portal users can:
    • filter the data at the top of the home screen under “Internships”
    • sort the data in the table below
    • view previous school year requests by selecting the School Year in the drop-down in the upper left section of the home screen
    • access the summary page for a specific district’s internship request using the blue “+Review” button on the far-right column of the intern request
    • review all information to help your students understand the request and determine if they are appropriate for that placement
  • IF you find an appropriate placement AND your student has been hired as an intern in that district, you then may provide the intern with the Intern Request Number and the semester of the internship so they can apply online via the DPI website to obtain their intern license. Do not give the request number to the intern until he/she has interviewed and been officially placed in that school district.

Student Intern Application 

After you provide the Intern Request Number and semester of internship to the student, he/she will complete the application through the Educator Licensing Online (ELO) system.