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Out-of-State Alternative Routes to Licensure

Lifetime Licenses Created

Important Notice

As required in the 2017-18 state budget, conversion of current Professional and Master Educator licenses to Lifetime licenses is complete.  If you wish to print a copy of your Lifetime license, please follow the four numbered steps below:

  1. Access your ELO Account
  2. Navigate to the “Manage Your Existing Licenses” section of the Quick Start Menu
  3. Choose “Print license certificate” from the drop down menu and click “Go!”
  4. Based on your browser’s default behavior, a file will be available for you to open or download.
 

The information on this page pertains to educators who have completed one of the following:

  • completed an alternative route program outside of Wisconsin
  • received licensure directly from another state's education agency via a certificate program or equivalency process
  • received licensure through a two-year institution outside of Wisconsin
  • received licensure through another process outside of Wisconsin (e.g., passing a content examination)

Applicants who completed an educator preparation programs for teachers, pupil services, and/or administrators at a college or university headquartered outside the state of Wisconsin, including online colleges or universities and out-of-country (non-U.S.) colleges/universities, should apply for Wisconsin licensure via the Out-of-State pathway.

If you have completed an alternative route to licensure in another state you may complete the following pathways to Wisconsin licensure:

  • License Based on Reciprocity
    • Hold a current teaching license in good standing from another state
    • Have taught one year with the teaching license from out-of-state
    • Hold a current administrator license in good standing from another state
    • Have worked one year with the administrator license from out-of-state
  • Post-Baccalaureate Pathway
    • Bachelor's degree
    • Career changer, entering teaching
    • Educator seeking additional license
    • College graduate, seeking MS degree in a new content area
  • Alternative Route Pathway
    • Bachelor's degree, with a major in the license subject
    • Career changer, entering teaching
    • Educator seeking additional license in shortage area
    • Seeking licensure in a shortage area in Wisconsin
      • Mathematics, Science, Career and Technical Education Subjects, World Languages, Special Education, Bilingual/Bicultural and ESL; also regional shortages
  • License Based on Equivalency Pathway
    • Bachelor’s degree
    • Three years of teaching experience in PK-12, postsecondary, and/or industry
    • Major or major equivalent in content area
    • May have completed alternative-route teacher preparation program in another state or a teacher preparation program in another country
    • May be a teacher in a private or charter school, postsecondary education, or a workplace
  • Credential evaluation by Wisconsin approved Educator Preparation Program

 

 

Contact Educator Licensing