Hearing scheduled Sept. 4 on licensing scope statement

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will conduct a preliminary public hearing from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sept. 4 on a statement of scope related to recent educator licensing rule changes.

The hearing will be held at the DPI’s headquarters, GEF 3, Room P41, 125 South Webster Street, Madison. Testimony at the hearing will be limited to the scope statement. For those who cannot attend the hearing, written comments sent to the department will be given the same consideration as public testimony.

The department recently issued an overhaul of rules governing educator licensure based on revisions recommended through a stakeholder workgroup. The preliminary hearing will consider the scope statement, SS 098-18, which describes the emergency and proposed permanent rules that will be developed to clarify guidance related to certain educator licenses and make technical changes to recent educator licensing rules to ensure the department can administer educator licensing with maximum efficiency.

A statement of scope is prepared in advance of any rule that an agency plans to promulgate. It includes a description of the objective of the rule, a description of existing policies relevant to the rule and an analysis of policy alternatives, the statutory authority for the rule, estimates of the amount of time that is expected to develop the rule, a description of entities affected by the rule, and a summary of any federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the rule. As the rule is promulgated, the department will conduct an additional public hearing or hearings and comment period for the emergency and proposed permanent administrative rules.

The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. A copy of the scope statement is available on the department’s Administrative Rules webpage or the Wisconsin Legislature Rules site. Written comments may be submitted in lieu of testimony by Sept. 6 online or sent to the department’s administrative rules coordinator by e-mail or U.S. mail. Send to Carl Bryan, 125 South Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841.