Educators who complete a preparation program approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and receive a license from the department are usually eligible to receive at least a one-year license from other states. Most states require that educators who were prepared in another state to complete at least one state-specific requirement (e.g., course, test), and the one-year or other temporary license gives educators the opportunity to work in a school while they complete the requirement(s).
Although state licensure requirements are continually changing, sometimes without notice, there are two public resources that share important information related to educator mobility.
First, the Education Commission of the States publishes a comparison of state policy on teacher license requirements, which is available here. Updated June 6, 2020, this informational site also links to each state’s specific licensure information for educators coming from outside the state. In addition, each state’s specific information regarding additional assessments required of out-of-state teachers is available here.
The other resource is the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement, which facilitates the mobility of educators among the 47 states, District of Columbia, Department of Defense Education Activity, and Guam, that have signed the Agreement. Wisconsin signed this agreement. Licensure requirements for out-of-state educators are listed by state here, including an interactive map tool by state here.
It is very important that individuals seeking licensure in another state obtain the most recent certification/licensure information directly from the state in which they seek employment. You can find contact information on each state licensure office here.