Rule-Making Notices
Notice of Hearing
Public Instruction
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to s.
115.28 (7) (a), Stats., and interpreting s.
115.28 (7) (g), Stats., the Department of Public Instruction will hold a public hearing as follows to consider the revision of Chapter
PI 34, relating to charter school licenses.
Hearing Information
Date: Monday, March 24, 2014
Time: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.*
Location: GEF 3 Building
125 South Webster Street
Room 041
Madison, Wisconsin
*If no speakers are remaining, the hearing will conclude early (but no earlier than 3:30 p.m.). Those that would like to testify should plan to be there at the beginning of the hearing. For those who cannot attend the public hearing, comments received by the Department will be given the same weight as testimony.
The hearing site is fully accessible to persons with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to access the meeting, please call Katie Schumacher at (608) 267-9127, or leave a message with the Teletypewriter (TTY) at (608) 267-2427, at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Reasonable accommodation includes materials prepared in an alternative format, as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Place Where Comments are to be Submitted and Deadline For Submission
Agency Contact Person
Katie Schumacher, Administrative Rules Coordinator and Small Business Regulatory Coordinator,
Katie.Schumacher@dpi.wi.gov, Department of Public Instruction, 125 South Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841.
Analysis by the Department of Public Instruction
Statute interpreted
Statutory authority
Explanation of agency authority
115.28 General duties. The state superintendent shall:
(7) Licensing of teachers. (a) License all teachers for the public schools of the state; make rules establishing standards of attainment and procedures for the examination and licensing of teachers within the limits prescribed in ss.
118.19 (2) and
(3),
118.192, and
118.195; prescribe by rule standards, requirements, and procedures for the approval of teacher preparatory programs leading to licensure, including a requirement that, beginning on July 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each teacher preparatory program located in this state shall submit to the department a list of individuals who have completed the program and who have been recommended by the program for licensure under this subsection, together with each individual's date of program completion, from each term or semester of the program's most recently completed academic year; file in the state superintendent's office all papers relating to state teachers' licenses; and register each such license.
Related statute or rule
N/A.
Plain language analysis
Chapter
PI 34 governs the issuance of licenses for public school personnel in the State of Wisconsin. This rule change was done to align the rule with newly created law under s.
115.28 (7) (g), Stats., regarding the three-year charter license. The following changes were made to ch.
PI 34:
• Created the criteria to apply and renew the three year charter school license as newly created under s.
115.28 (7) (g), Stats.
•
Added clarifying language to make clear the difference between the newly created three year charter license and the existing charter school instructional license.
•
Created the 1-year charter school instructional staff license for already licensed teachers in non-virtual charter schools who are unable to demonstrate their content knowledge in core academic subjects before being hired.
•
Removed the reference to the 30 hours of training required to teach online that was removed from statute under
2013 Wisconsin Act 20.
Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulations
N/A.
Comparison with rules in adjacent states
No information.
Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies
2013 Wisconsin Act 20 created s.
115.28 (7) (g), Stats., which requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to grant a charter school teaching license to any person who has a bachelor's degree and demonstrates, based on criteria established by the DPI, that the person is proficient in the subject or subjects he or she intends to teach. Chapter
PI 34 will be modified to include the criteria that a person must meet to demonstrate that the person is proficient in the subject or subjects he or she intends to teach.
Analysis and supporting documents used to determine effect on small business or in preparation of economic impact report
This rule change could impact public schools, including charter schools and educator preparation programs.
Anticipated costs incurred by private sector
There is not expected to be a cost to the private sector.
Effect on Small Business
The proposed rules will have no economic impact on small businesses, as defined in s.
227.114 (1), Stats.
Agency Contact Person
Katie Schumacher
Budget and Policy Analyst
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 267-9127
Text of Rule
SECTION 1. PI 34.241, PI 34.242, and PI 34.243 are created to read:
PI 34.241 Charter school instructional staff license.
(1) A charter school instructional staff license may be issued to an applicant who holds a valid initial, professional or master educator teaching license issued by the department. The license authorizes an individual to teach any grade or any subject outside the individual's initial, professional or master educator teaching license in a non-virtual charter school. To be eligible for the charter school instructional staff license, an applicant shall meet the following criteria:
(a) An applicant assigned to teach any core academic subject, as defined under
20 USC 7801(11), in a non-virtual charter school shall verify one of the following:
1. A major or minor from a regionally-accredited institution in each of the assigned core academic subjects.
2. Passing a content knowledge examination prescribed by the state superintendent in each of the assigned core academic subjects.
3. Demonstrated knowledge and competence in each of the assigned core academic subject based on an assessment process approved by the state superintendent.
(b) An applicant assigned to teach any subject that is not considered a core academic subject may be eligible for a charter school instructional staff license without verification of criteria listed under par. (a).
(2) The applicant under this section shall submit a complete application, developed by the department, specifying the applicant's qualifications for the license.
(3) A charter school instructional staff license shall have the same license term as the valid initial, professional or master educator teaching license not to exceed five years. The charter school instructional staff license shall not have the same license term as the life license or the master educator license.
(4) A one-year charter school instructional staff license may be issued to an applicant who holds a valid teaching license but has not demonstrated content knowledge in a core academic subject area as defined under
20 USC 7801(11). The license may be issued for any assigned grade level and any assigned subject in a non-virtual charter school. To receive this one-year license, a district administrator or designated official of the employing school district or charter school under s.
118.40, Stats., shall request a license on behalf of the applicant following a search for a qualified, licensed individual. This license is renewable for one-year periods if the applicant is making adequate progress toward eligibility for the charter school instructional staff license with verification that he or she has completed 6 semester credits each licensure term toward a content minor in his or her assigned teaching area until such time that one of the criteria under sub. (1) (a) has been completed.
PI 34.242 Three-year charter license.
(1) An individual who holds a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution may be eligible to obtain this license to teach in a non-virtual charter school. An applicant shall demonstrate the appropriate level of content knowledge in each of the subjects the applicant is assigned to teach by verifying one of the following:
(a) Completion of a major or minor from a regionally-accredited institution in each of the assigned academic subjects.
(b) Passing a content knowledge examination prescribed by the state superintendent in each of the assigned academic subjects.
