Big Changes in Store for Teacher Licensing
Proposed sweeping changes in teacher licensure and preparation are part
of the evolution of education in Wisconsin, according to WEAC President
Terry Craney.
“Department of Public Instruction recommendations, if adopted, would
move teacher preparation and licensing to the next level,” Craney
said. “The teaching profession is now ready to advance to a system
of more accountability and assessment.”
State Superintendent John Benson has offered a plan to change the way
teachers are licensed in Wisconsin. The recommendations call for major
changes in three areas:
- Performance-based licensing. The plan calls for a shift from college
course and credit accumulation to licensure based on competence measured
by what teachers should know and do. It includes 10 standards to measure
performance.
- Levels of licensing. Teacher licenses would be aligned with student
developmental stages, instead of grade levels. The new categories would
be early childhood, middle childhood, early adolescence and adolescence.
- Stages of licensing. Three levels of licensure would replace the current
five-year license system. The stages are initial educator, professional
educator and master educator.
Non-renewable initial educator licenses would give new teachers two to
five years to move to the professional educator license. Teachers would
write professional development plans tied to the 10 standards and develop
portfolios to demonstrate their achievements. Beginning teachers would
receive support from an assigned mentor. Competence would be evaluated
by a three-person panel. Professional educator licenses would follow initial
licenses.
Professional educator licenses would be five-year licenses renewed upon
completion of a professional development plan.
People who currently hold lifetime licenses could continue with their
current licenses. They could also choose to move to the new system, where
they would start out with a professional educator license.
Teachers who currently hold renewable licenses would be required to move
to the new system. They would automatically receive renewable professional
educator licenses.
Master educator licenses would be renewable 10-year licenses for teachers
with at least seven years of experience and a master’s degree. Master
educators would be required to submit portfolios to a professional panel
for review and approval.
“These proposals are major opportunities for teachers,” Craney
said. “As we move toward higher standards for students, teachers
will be setting higher standards for themselves.”
DPI will conduct hearings on the proposal throughout Wisconsin this winter.
Benson said the department will revise the rules based on input from the
hearings.
The new rules could be in place for incoming college students by the
2000-2001 school year, and for current teachers the following year.
The plan was developed by a task force that included WEAC staff and members.
For more information, see the DPI Web site at www.dpi.state.wi.us.
Posted November 20, 1998