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State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced Thursday (September 14, 2006) the names of 13 individuals - including six WEAC members - who are the first to earn master educator licenses through the Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment Process.
The Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment Process is one of two ways to achieve a Master Educator license, which is the highest of three levels of teacher licenses in Wisconsin. As of the beginning of 2006, 328 Wisconsin teachers had earned Master Educator licenses by achieving certification through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
To be eligible for a Wisconsin Master Educator License, an educator must have earned a master’s degree and have at least five years of successful professional experience in education.
The Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment Process includes a portfolio that shows mastery of the 10 teaching standards, seven pupil services standards, or seven administrator standards, including evidence of contributions to the profession and documentation of improved pupil learning. The documentation may include student work samples, district assessments, standardized test scores, or other supporting information.
The 13 educators who earned Wisconsin Master Educator Licenses based on portfolios submitted in the 2005-06 school year include two superintendents, four principals, and seven teachers.
The six WEAC members are:
The other new master educators are:
This was the first time that administrators and pupil services professionals could have mastery of their practice assessed and recognized by the state’s professional educational community and the Department of Public Instruction. Most teachers have access to assessment of their practice through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which offers National Board Certification. Because the National Board has not developed an assessment for some areas of teacher licensure and no similar national certification exists for administrators and pupil services providers, the DPI developed and piloted the Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment Process to allow administrators and pupil services providers to demonstrate professional mastery.
The 13 master educators were the first to meet or exceed standards set for demonstrating mastery in their category of licensure.
The development of a master educator stage of licensure was recommended in 1995 by the Task Force on Restructuring Teacher Education and Licensing. The recommendation follows the belief that career-long professional development and performance-based assessment of practice were essential to ensuring both the professional growth of individuals and the improvement of student achievement.
The Wisconsin Master Educator License is a voluntary 10-year license. The other licensure stages - Initial Educator and Professional Educator - are five-year licenses.
“Our New Wisconsin Promise is committed to ensuring a quality educator in every classroom and a strong leader in every school. These educators should be commended for their efforts to demonstrate mastery of their educational practice and for devoting their expertise to Wisconsin’s school children,” Burmaster said.
Posted September 14, 2006