Wisconsin Educational Technology Leaders
For a list of current Wisconsin Certified Educational Technology Leaders, please check the CoSN CETL Directory page. Check out the Wisconsin Education Technology Leader
CoSN Certified Education Technology Leaders (CETL®) Certification (this does not result in any DPI License)
DPI Support for the CoSN CETL® Certification Exam to Build Digital Leadership Capacity and Support Local District Leadership Teams
The DPI Digital Learningteam provides support to our state CoSN affiliate chapter, the Wisconsin Education Technology Leaders (WETL), to offer statewide exam certification cohort groups twice a year - fall (test at the SLATE conference in the Wisconsin Dells) and spring (test at the WISCNet conference in Madison). WETL is a key strategic partner for DPI to support the Wisconsin Digital Learning Plan priority goals of building the capacity of digital leaders through high-quality professional learning opportunities and professional communities of practice.
The Digital Learning team provides our WETL chapter with Wisconsin Digital Learning Plan resources, financial support for candidate materials and promotion of the CETL® as a credentialing option to enhance the digital leadership skills of leaders to help with assist districts as they are structuring and hiring technical staff.
DPI encourages local districts to consider how this credential can be recognized when hiring technology leaders with either enterprise certifications or licensed administrators who add on the CETL certification who may be fulfilling technology leadership roles. Local districts have discretion on how to hire technology staff and administrators to meet the needs of their local technical and leadership teams. The CETL® can also be utilized as a district leadership professional learning opportunity to help build capacity to support strong district collaborative leadership teams. The successful completion of this process in Wisconsin does not result in any official university credential or a DPI issued license.
What is the CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL®)
The CoSN (Consortium for School Networking) national association provides an industry-recognized certification process called the Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL®). According to the CoSN CETL®) certification page and one-page overview brief education technology leaders, earning the CETL® certification will demonstrate to your staff, superintendent, and other stakeholders that you have mastered the knowledge and skills needed to define the vision for and successfully build 21st-century learning environments in your school district. The cohort of state leaders engages in conversations about best practices, emerging technology topics, and high-quality planning processes to leverage with district collaborative leadership teams. The rigorous CETL® certification process includes a multiple choice test based on professional reading to determine competency to complete the process with a submitted portfolio of essay responses.
Eligibility for the CoSN CETL® Certification Exam
According to the CoSN website, eligibility Requirements to sit for the CETL® exam, candidates must have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree plus four years of education technology experience or leadership experiences inclusive of technology programming. Individuals do not need to be an official CoSN member to take the exam or hold the CETL certification. The successful completion of this process in Wisconsin does not result in any official university credential or a DPI issued license. Education technology experience is defined as demonstrable experience in the three overarching skill areas of the Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO:
- Leadership and Vision
- Understanding the Educational Environment
- Managing Technology and Support Resources
The Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO for the CETL® Certification Exam (download the framework) stated on the CoSN webpage:
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Leadership and Vision - Work closely with the executive team and stakeholders to develop a shared vision with long-term, big-picture perspectives on district goals to plan for meaningful and effective uses of technology; provide leadership when creating a vision of how technology will help meet district goals.
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Strategic Planning - Have a high-level view of the school system and work with instructional and technical teams to identify steps needed to transform the technology vision into a long-range plan, complete with specific goals, objectives, and action plans.
- Instructional Focus and Professional Development -Budget, plan, and coordinate ongoing, purposeful professional development for all staff using technologies; ensure a sufficient budget through the implementation and assessment process of emerging technologies.
- Ethics and Policies -Manage the creation, implementation, and enforcement of policies and educational programs relating to the social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology use throughout the district and modeling responsible decision-making.
- Team Building and Staffing - Play an integral role in the district’s strategic planning process; create and support cross-functional teams for decision-making, technology support, professional development, and other aspects of the district’s technology program.
- Stakeholder Focus - Build relationships with all stakeholders, taking a close look at how the district determines requirements, expectations, and preferences. Understand the key factors that lead to stakeholder satisfaction, focusing on how the district seeks knowledge, satisfaction, and loyalty of students and other stakeholders.
- Information Technology Management - Direct, coordinate, and ensure implementation of all tasks related to technical, infrastructure, standards, and integration of technology into every facet of district operations.
- Communication Systems Management - Use technology to improve communication, directing and coordinating the use of e-mail, district websites, web tools, voice mail systems, and other forms of communication to facilitate decision-making and to enhance effective communication with key stakeholders.
- Business Management - Manage the budget and serve as a strong business leader who guides purchasing decisions, determines the return on investment for all technology implementations, and fosters good relationships with vendors, potential funders, and other key groups.
- Data Management - Manage the establishment and maintenance of systems and tools for gathering, mining, integrating, and reporting data in usable and meaningful ways to produce an information culture in which data management is critical to strategic planning.
How can Local Districts Support CETL® Leaders in the Certification Process and District Compensation Models?
Local districts are encouraged to consider the CoSN-WETL membership (district membership) and participation of leaders as an essential community of practice to build capacity in digital leadership. Additionally, districts can help assist leaders in payment of testing fees (reimbursed by Wisconsin partners after successful completion) and time for leaders to prepare for the certification exam and write the portfolio responses. Additionally, districts may consider additional compensation in recognizing this national credential as a professional advancement versus a university course or advanced degree. Individuals may use this process as part of their PDP submission as evidence of professional learning and collaboration. Districts are highly encouraged to leverage the CoSN resources and state professional learning activities for their leadership teams.