Licensing

Pathways to a Teaching License

Wisconsin Pathway to Teaching Options

The Wisconsin pathway options enumerated below lead to a full (Tier II) license. There are other options to licensure for out-of state candidates, out-of-country candidates, candidates adding on a teaching license via a content test or three-year license with stipulations, or candidates pursuing a Tier I teaching permit.

1. Complete an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). 

EPPs include both approved programs at colleges and universities as well as nontraditional programs at approved non-profits, school districts, and for-profit entities. Those applying to nontraditional programs must already possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

Candidate Profile

  • I have completed high school.
  • I have some college but not a bachelor's degree.
  • I have a bachelor's degree but it is not in education.
  • I am seeking my first license or a subsequent license.

If you fit this pathway

  1. Decide what you are interested in teaching.
  2. Identify the Wisconsin EPP approved to prepare teachers for the Wisconsin teaching license you are seeking on the Find a Preparation Program tool.
  3. Contact the EPP directly to learn about their program and enrollment.
    Note: If you do not already have a bachelor's degree your EPP options are limited to an approved program at college or university.
  4. Complete all the requirements of the approved teacher licensure program.
  5. Apply for a Wisconsin Educator License using the ELO System.

2. Complete the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.

This route to licensure is not an approved preparation program but is authorized as leading to licensure under Wisconsin Statutes section 118.197.

Candidate Profile

  • I have a bachelor's degree in any subject
  • I am seeking my first license or a subsequent license.

If you fit this pathway

  1. Decide what you are interested in teaching.
    ABCTE offers programs leading to the following areas of licensure: English Language Arts (4-12), Elementary/Middle (K-9), Math (4-12), Science (4-12), Social Studies (4-12), and Cross-Categorical Special Education (K-12).
  2. Complete all the requirements for completing ABCTE.
  3. Apply for a Wisconsin Educator License using the ELO System.
    Educators who have completed an ABCTE licensure program and wish to apply for a Wisconsin teacher license will submit an Out-of-State [1025] application with the following documentation:
    1. Bachelor degree transcript (the Transcripts for License Application page lists transcript requirements).
    2. PI-1612 Institutional Endorsement and Assurances.
    3. ABCTE certificate of completion
    4. ABCTE Professional Teaching Knowledge exam and Content Knowledge exam results

Educators may use the ABCTE Application Checklist to ensure they have obtained all necessary documentation and are submitting the correct application.

Teaching Licenses Issued

Unless otherwise specified, applicants for licenses in the category of teaching must have:

  1.   Completed a state-approved educator preparation program in the licensure area. Unless otherwise specified, applicants for licenses in the category of teaching must have:
  2.   A minimum of bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Speech language and pathologist must have a master’s degree.

Licenses and grade ranges include:

Early Childhood – Regular Education - Birth-3

Early Childhood – Special Education - Birth-3

Elementary and Middle School - K-9

English and Language Arts - 4-12

Mathematics - 4-12

Computer Science - 4-12

Science - 4-12

Social Studies - 4-12

Cross-categorical Special Education - K-12

Agriculture Education - K-12

Art - K-12

Business Education - K-12

Dance - K-12

Deaf or Hard of Hearing - K-12

Family and Consumer Education - K-12

English as Second Language - K-12

French - K-12

German - K-12

Latin - K-12

Russian - K-12

Spanish - K-12

Other World Languages - K-12

Health - K-12

Marketing Education - K-12

Music - K-12

Physical Education - K-12

Speech and Language Pathology - PK-12

Technology Education - K-12

Theatre - K-12

Visual Impairment - K-12

Instructional Library Media Specialist - K-12

Pathways to Speech Language Pathology Teaching Licenses

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) provides two options for licensure for someone to provide speech and language services to students in a Wisconsin public school.

Tier I 1-year License with stipulations

Tier II Provisional License

Tier I 1-year License with stipulations- Candidate Profile

  • Holds a valid Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) license; and
  • Has earned a master’s degree in communication disorders that prepares one to provide speech and language services in a medical setting.
  • Has not yet completed a school speech and language teacher training program.

Candidates may be eligible for the 1-year license with stipulations as a school speech and language pathologist while working in a Wisconsin public school. This license can be renewed for three school years. Eligibility beyond this timeframe requires the educator to complete either:

1) a state-approved program as a school speech and language pathologist and be eligible for endorsement; or

2) the statutory stipulations: 

  • minority group relations; and
  • conflict resolution;
  • teacher responsibilities, including student teaching;
  • children with disabilities; and
  • professional ethics, including mandatory reporting requirements

*One year of successful experience serving as a school speech and language pathologist while working under the 1-year license with stipulations each year will satisfy the requirement for student teaching.

If you fit this pathway profile:

  1. DETERMINE your eligibility.
  2. PREPARE electronic copies of your valid Wisconsin DSPS license as a speech and language pathologist and your transcripts confirming your master’s degree in communication disorders.
  3. APPLY for a Wisconsin license using the ELO System.

Tier II Provisional License - Candidate Profile

  • Has earned a master’s degree in communication disorders and completed an approved teacher training program as a school speech and language pathologist in Wisconsin or another state; OR
  • Has earned a master’s degree in communication disorders for clinical settings and completed the statutory requirements as required under Wis Admin Code sec. PI 34.047 (4). These requirements are; minority group relations, conflict resolution, teacher responsibilities, including student teaching, children with disabilities, and professional ethics, including mandatory reporting requirements. 

If you completed a teacher training program as a school speech and language pathologist at a Wisconsin DPI approved program:

 

  1. DETERMINE your eligibility by contacting your Wisconsin DPI-approved school speech and language pathology program. If you completed the approved program after August 31, 2004, the program should have already uploaded your endorsement in the ELO system so you can apply at any time. If you were prepared before August 31, 2004, and never applied for licensure, your Wisconsin DPI-approved program will need to provide you a completed 

    PI-1612 Institutional Endorsement form 

    .

  2. PREPARE electronic copies of your transcripts and 

    PI-1612 Institutional Endorsement 

    , if required.

  3. APPLY for a Wisconsin License using the ELO Systemusing the transaction – T001-1020 (for those who completed their program after August 31, 2004) or the T001-1031 (for those who completed their program before August 31, 2004)

If you completed a teacher training program as a school speech and language pathologist at a program located outside Wisconsin:

 

  1. DETERMINE your eligibility by contacting your state-approved school speech and language pathology program. The program must complete the 

    PI-1612 Institutional Endorsement form 

    that verifies the program you completed was a teacher training program leading to school speech and language pathology license in that state.

  2. PREPARE electronic copies of your transcripts, 

    PI-1612 Institutional Endorsement 

    , test score report(s), valid school speech and language license from another state, and a 

    PI-1613 Employment Verification Form 

    .

  3. APPLY for a Wisconsin License using the ELO System using the transaction – T001-1025.

If you completed a speech and language pathology program for clinical settings and completed the statutory stipulations while working under Wisconsin Tier I licenses:

 

  1. DETERMINE your eligibility.
  2. PREPARE electronic copies of your transcripts, documentation that verifies you have met all statutory requirements and a PI-1613 Employment Verification Form that verifies at least three years of experience serving as a teacher providing speech and language services to student in a Wisconsin public school
  3. APPLY for a Wisconsin License using the ELO System using the transaction – T001-1031.

Related Resource


 

 

 

Pathways to Supplemental Teaching Licenses

The following licenses are issued as supplementary teaching licenses. Licenses in this category are issued for individuals who hold Tier II or higher licenses.

Educators seeking to obtain a supplementary teaching license must follow the initial teaching license pathway except for the vocational, urban education, and coaching athletics licenses, which contain alternate requirements under state law.

Adaptive Education

Adaptive Physical Education

Assistive Technology

Alternative Education Program

Bilingual-Bicultural Education

Driver Education

Gifted and Talented

Reading Teacher

Urban Educator

Vocational – Business Education

Vocational – Family and Consumer Education

Vocational – Marketing Education

Vocational - Technology Educaiton

Submit questions and comments about this information to the licensing help desk.