Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment Process

Advantages for Wisconsin Teachers

Teachers and pupil services professionals who successfully complete a WMEAP process can obtain a Lifetime Master Educator license . In addition, the WMEAP Master Educators can:

• Obtain reimbursement of up to $2,000 for the costs associated with working on the WMEAP process.
• Receive annual grants for 9 years of $2,500 or $5,000.

The WMEAP process is available only for the following licensure areas

• Administration
  • Superintendent
  • School Business Administrator
  • Director of Instruction
  • Principal
  • Career and Technology Education Coordinator
  • Director of Special Education and Pupil Services
  • Library Media Supervisor
  • Instructional Technology Coordinator
  • Reading Specialist
• Pupil Services
  • School Social Worker
  • School Psychologist
  • School Nurse
• Teaching/Supplemental
  • Theatre
  • Computer Science
  • Dance
  • Psychology
  • Speech and Language Pathology
  • Assistive Technology
  • Adaptive Education
  • Adaptive Physical Education

Eligibility

In order to apply for the WMEAP, candidates must meet all eligibility requirements by submitting all of the following as part of the application:

• Documentation of a related master's degree.
• Verification (from school/district) of at least 5 years of successful professional experience in the licensure area at the lifetime license level.
  • Candidates must have held a Lifetime license for at least 5 years.
• Evidence of contributions to the profession.
• Evidence of improved pupil learning.

Related documents:

• WMEAP Tip Sheet
• PI-1613-WMEAP Employment Verification form
• PI-1610 WMEAP Appendix

Portfolio Development

After receiving approval of the application, candidates will have up to 2 years to develop and submit their portfolios.

The WMEAP portfolio is comprised of specific entries that describe, analyze, and reflect; including samples, artifacts, a video, and demonstrations of the applicant's mastery of Wisconsin Educator Standards. The artifacts and entries in the portfolio must have been obtained within five years of the date of application.

If a candidate is unsuccessful in obtaining Master Educator status upon assessment of the portfolio, the candidate will have one school year to resubmit a portfolio that addresses the portfolio entries that were assessed to be not adequate for mastery. It is recommended that candidates submit their portfolios for assessment in year one so that year two may be used for entries that did not demonstrate mastery and will be resubmitted (a maximum of two entries). If the candidates have three of four entries to submit they must reapply through the WMEAP.

Interested candidates for the WMEAP process must:

1. Meet eligibility requirements.
2. Apply for the license using the Educator Licensing Online system by April 30th.
3. After application approval, develop and complete 4 portfolio entries over 1-2 years during the WMEAP process.
4. Submit portfolio for assessments.
5. For details of the initial application process, please refer to the WMEAP Tip Sheet.

All timelines for WMEAP application are strictly enforced. Late, incomplete, or ineligible applications will be disqualified.

Only approved applicants will be eligible to complete the WMEAP Portfolio to obtain the Master Educator license. A DPI-trained team of assessors review all WMEAP portfolios for approval or denial. Closely follow the guidelines and examples in the relevant guidebook to help ensure a complete and strong application.

Related documents:

• WMEAP Tip Sheet
• PI-1613-WMEAP Employment Verification form
• PI-1610 WMEAP Appendix
• WMEAP Administrator Handbook
• WMEAP Teacher Handbook
• WMEAP Pupil Services Handbook

Reimbursement

After receiving the Wisconsin master educator license and within the first year of the effective date of the license, Wisconsin master educators can apply for reimbursement of up to $2,000 for expenses incurred for the WMEAP.

In order to qualify for the reimbursement the master educator must be:

• Employed as a teacher or pupil services professional in Wisconsin public schools, or
• Employed as a teacher or pupil services professional in a private school located in Wisconsin.
• Have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System.

Contact DPI (contact form) to request the WMEAP Reimbursement Application Form. The claim for reimbursement must be submitted prior to June 30 of the school year in which the master educator license is effective.

Annual Grant

After receiving reimbursement for WMEAP expenses (above), Wisconsin master educators (teachers and pupil services professionals) are eligible to apply for an annual grant in each of the subsequent nine years of the effective date of the master educator license.

To qualify for the annual grant the master educator must:

• Have submitted an application for reimbursement
• Maintain their Wisconsin master educator license
• Remain employed as a teacher or pupil services professional in Wisconsin public schools or a private school in Wisconsin
• Have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System.

Annual $2,500 grants are awarded in each of the subsequent school years for the duration of the Wisconsin master educator license. Master educators (teachers and pupil services professionals) who are employed in a high poverty school are eligible for a $5,000 annual grant.

The WMEAP annual grant application closed at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2024. The 2024-25 WMEAP grant application will be available in the Fall.

Effective or Highly Effective Rating

As a result of 2013 Wisconsin Act 20, starting in the 2014-15 school year and thereafter, applicants who received the master educator License by WMEAP Initial Reimbursement grant are required to provide annual verification of being effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System in order to receive a grant for master educator licensure. This only affects applicants who are required to be evaluated in the Educator Effectiveness System.

Rating of effective or highly effective means a score of greater than or equal to 2.5 in both the educator practice outcome summary and the student outcomes summary or, if the person has not had an initial evaluation, the person is in the process of being evaluated.  

Wisconsin statutes and administrative rules supporting national teacher certification or master educator license:

• Wis. Stat. 115.42 - Grants for national teacher certification or master educator licensure.
• Wis. Admin Code PI 37 - Criteria and procedures for awarding grants for national teacher certification or master educator licensure.
• Wis. Admin Code PI 34.042 - Master educator license.

WMEAP portfolios are formally assessed by a team of three educators who:

• Have the same or similar job responsibilities.
• Have been nominated by professional organizations, including school board organizations.
• Have been provided training by the Department of Public Instruction.
• Have been approved for appointment by the State Superintendent.

In addition, WMEAP assessors are educators who:

• Are not current or non-achieving candidates for the WMEAP.
• Hold a Wisconsin lifetime license in the assessment area.
• Have at least five years of successful professional experience in the assessment area.
• Hold a master's degree related to the assessment area.

School board members may be an additional member of the WMEAP assessment team. To be part of the team, the school board member must:

• Be nominated by professional organizations, including school board organizations.
• Have been provided training by the Department of Public Instruction.
• Not be a current or non-achieving candidate for the WMEAP.
• Be approved for appointment by the State Superintendent.

All assessors will sign a pledge of confidentiality and:

• Will not assess WMEAP applications of candidates from their own school/district.
• Will not assess WMEAP applications of candidates to whom they are/were related.
• Will not assess WMEAP applications of candidates for whom they could not remain impartial and objective.

WMEAP assessors are trained annually, during the summer, using a portfolio assessment guide developed by a national expert in the teacher portfolio assessment and Wisconsin educators who are involved in the development of the WMEAP.  Assessors use note-taking strategies, summary statements, rubrics, and a judgment of each entry's documentation of mastery.

Related Forms:

• PI-WMEAP-0002: WMEAP Assessor Nomination Form
• PI WMEAP-0003:  WMEAP Employment Verification Form