AB399: Bill Text

LRB-0963/2

PG:kaf:km

1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 399

June 3, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives Duff, Ainsworth, Grothman, Owens, Jensen, Goetsch, Seratti, Nass and Underheim, cosponsored by Senators Farrow, Huelsman and Welch. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB399,1,4 An Act to repeal 118.192 (4) (a); to consolidate, renumber and amend 118.192 (4) (intro.) and (b); and to amend 118.192 (title) and (1) to (3) of the statutes; relating to: the issuance of alternative teaching permits and teaching licenses .

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, no person may teach in a public school unless the person is licensed by the department of public instruction (DPI). In order to receive a regular license, an individual must comply with certain general requirements that apply to all types of licenses as well as specific requirements that apply only to the license for which the individual applied. The general requirements include a bachelor's degree and completion of an approved professional education program with a specified number of credits in certain subjects and completion of a semester of student teaching.

Current law also requires DPI to establish an alternative teacher training program consisting of 100 hours of instruction. Any person who holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, biology, chemistry or physics, has at least 5 years of experience as an engineer, mathematician or science professional and passes the national teacher's exam (administered by the educational testing service, inc.) in mathematics or science may attend the training program. DPI must issue a professional teaching permit to any individual who satisfactorily completes the training program. The permit authorizes the individual to teach mathematics or science, as specified by DPI, in grades kindergarten to 12 for 2 years if he or she is supervised by a person who holds a regular teaching license.

This bill makes a number of changes to the alternative teacher training program:

1. The bill expands the covered fields to include music, art, foreign language and computer science.

2. The bill eliminates passage of the national teacher's examination as a requirement. Instead, the bill requires that the applicant demonstrate competency in his or her subject to DPI's satisfaction.

3. The bill requires that the person be supervised by a person who holds a regular teaching license only for the initial 2-year licensure period.

4. The bill provides that the permit is renewable for 5-year periods. DPI must renew the permit or grant the permit holder a regular teaching license if the employing school board certifies that the person is a successful teacher.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB399, s. 1 Section 1. 118.192 (title) and (1) to (3) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB399,2,6 118.192 (title) Professional teaching permits; mathematics and science and licenses. (1) The department shall establish an alternative teacher training program for music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics and science teachers. The program shall be conducted during the summer and shall consist of approximately 100 hours of formal instruction.

AB399,3,3 (2) An individual who holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics, biology, chemistry or physics or science from an accredited institution of higher education, has at least 5 years of experience as an engineer, mathematician or science a professional in the subject area in which his or her degree was awarded and passes the appropriate subject area portion of the national teacher's examination administered by the educational testing service, inc., in mathematics or science demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the department, competency in that subject area that is current and compatible with modern curricula may apply to the department for enrollment in the alternative teacher training program. The department shall charge a fee sufficient to cover the costs of the program.

AB399,3,12 (3) The department shall grant a professional teaching permit to any person who satisfactorily completes the program under sub. (2). The permit authorizes the person to teach mathematics or science, as the subject area specified by the department, in grades kindergarten to 12. The initial permit shall be valid for 2 years, if. During the initial permit period, the person is shall be supervised by a person who holds a regular teaching license. The permit is renewable for 5-year periods. The department shall renew the permit or grant the permit holder a regular teaching license if the school board that employs the person certifies to the department that the person is a successful teacher.

AB399, s. 2 Section 2. 118.192 (4) (intro.) and (b) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 118.192 (4) and amended to read:

AB399,3,18 118.192 (4) A school board that employs a person who holds a professional teaching permit shall do all of the following: (b) Ensure ensure that no regularly licensed teacher is removed from his or her position as a result of the employment of persons holding permits.

AB399, s. 3 Section 3. 118.192 (4) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB399,3,20 (End)