AB551: Bill Text

LRB-3163/1

PG:med:rs

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Assembly BILL 551

February 8, 2012 - Introduced by Representatives Litjens, Thiesfeldt, Kooyenga, Pridemore, Knudson, LeMahieu, Bies, Honadel and Brooks, cosponsored by Senator Galloway. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB551,1,7 An Act to renumber 118.192 (1) and 118.192 (2); to renumber and amend 118.192 (3) and 118.192 (4); to amend 20.255 (1) (hg), 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. and c. and 119.23 (2) (a) 6. a. and c.; and to create 118.192 (1) (title) and 118.192 (5), (6) and (7) of the statutes; relating to: professional teaching permits issued by the Department of Public Instruction, the qualifications necessary to teach in a private school participating in a parental choice program, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) provides an alternative teaching training program consisting of approximately 100 hours of formal instruction. A person who holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics, or science; has at least five years of professional experience in the subject area; demonstrates competency in his or her subject area; and satisfactorily completes the 100-hour program, is entitled to a professional teaching permit, which authorizes the person to teach the subject area specified by DPI in grades kindergarten to 12. The initial permit is valid for two years, but is renewable for five-year periods.

This bill establishes three additional ways of obtaining a professional teaching permit. The bill directs DPI to establish a 40-hour teacher training program that is designed to provide a person with effective instructional techniques and practices and that is to be taught by school district staff. DPI must also develop an examination designed to determine whether a person has mastered the material taught in the training program.

Under the bill, if DPI determines that a person is fluent in a foreign language as well as in English, and the person passes the examination described above, DPI must grant the person a professional teaching permit authorizing him or her to teach the foreign language in grades specified by DPI. If DPI determines that a person has at least an associate of arts degree and at least ten years of exceptional work experience in a particular field, and the person passes the examination described above, DPI must grant the person a professional teaching permit authorizing him or her to teach the subject in which he or she is experienced in grades specified by DPI. Finally, if a person holds a teaching license issued by DPI and passes a proficiency exam, administered by DPI, in a subject in which he or she is not licensed, DPI must grant the person a professional teaching permit authorizing him or her to teach the subject of the examination in the grades that his or her teaching license authorizes him or her to teach.

Under current law, with certain exceptions, all of the teachers in a private school that is participating in a parental choice program (PCP) must have a bachelor's degree.

This bill allows a person to teach in a PCP school if he or she has a bachelor's degree or holds a license or permit to teach issued by DPI.

For further information see the state and local 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:

AB551, s. 1 Section 1. 20.255 (1) (hg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB551,2,9 20.255 (1) (hg) Personnel licensure, teacher supply, information and analysis and teacher improvement. The amounts in the schedule to fund licensure and permitting administrative costs under s. ss. 115.28 (7) (d) and, 118.19 (10), and 118.192; teacher supply, information and analysis costs under s. 115.29 (5),; and teacher improvement under s. 115.41. Ninety percent of all moneys received from the licensure and permitting of school and public library personnel under s. ss. 115.28 (7) (d) and 118.192, and all moneys received under s. 115.41, shall be credited to this appropriation.

AB551, s. 2 Section 2. 118.192 (1) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

AB551,3,3 118.192 (1) (title) Music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics, and science.

AB551, s. 3 Section 3. 118.192 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 118.192 (1) (a).

AB551, s. 4 Section 4. 118.192 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 118.192 (1) (b).

AB551, s. 5 Section 5. 118.192 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 118.192 (1) (c) and amended to read:

AB551,3,14 118.192 (1) (c) The state superintendent shall grant issue a professional teaching permit to any person who satisfactorily completes the program under sub. (2) par. (b). The permit authorizes the person to teach the subject area specified by the state superintendent in grades kindergarten to 12. The initial permit shall be valid for 2 years. During the initial permit period, the person shall be supervised by a person who holds a regular teaching license. The permit is renewable for 5-year periods.

AB551, s. 6 Section 6. 118.192 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 118.192 (1) (d) and amended to read:

AB551,3,20 118.192 (1) (d) A school board that employs a person who holds a professional teaching permit issued under this subsection shall ensure that no regularly licensed teacher is removed from his or her position as a result of the employment of persons holding permits.

AB551, s. 7 Section 7. 118.192 (5), (6) and (7) of the statutes are created to read:

AB551,4,2 118.192 (5) Foreign language; work experience. (a) The department shall develop the curriculum for a 40-hour teacher training program designed to provide a person seeking a professional teaching permit under par. (c) or (d) with effective instructional techniques and practices. The program shall be designed to be taught by school district staff.

AB551,4,6 (b) The department shall develop an examination designed to determine whether a person has mastered the material taught in the training program under par. (a). The department may charge a person who takes the examination a fee to cover the costs of administering and scoring the examination.

AB551,4,12 (c) If the department determines that a person is fluent in a foreign language and in English and has passed the examination under par. (b), upon application the department shall issue a professional teaching permit to the person. The permit authorizes the person to teach the foreign language in grades specified by the department. The initial permit is valid for 2 years and is renewable for 5-year periods.

AB551,4,18 (d) If the department determines that a person has at least an associate of arts degree, has at least 10 years of exceptional work experience in a particular field, and has passed the examination under par. (b), upon application the department shall issue a professional teaching permit to the person. The permit authorizes the person to teach the subject in which he or she is experienced in grades specified by the department.

AB551,5,2 (6) Additional subject. A person who holds a teaching license issued by the department may apply to the department to take a proficiency examination in a subject in which he or she is not licensed. The department may charge a person who takes the examination a fee to cover the costs of administering and scoring the examination. If the person passes the examination, as determined by the department, the department shall issue a professional teaching permit to the person. The permit authorizes the person to teach the subject of the examination in the grades that his or her teaching license authorizes him or her to teach.

AB551,5,6 (7) Permit. An initial permit issued under this section is valid for 2 years. During the initial permit period, a permit holder under sub. (1) or (5) (c) or (d) shall be supervised by a person who holds a regular teaching license issued by the department. A permit is renewable for 5-year periods.

AB551, s. 8 Section 8. 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. and c. of the statutes, as created by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, are amended to read:

AB551,5,11 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. Except as provided in subd. 6. c., all of the private school's teachers have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education or hold a license or permit to teach issued by the department.

AB551,6,3 c. Any teacher employed by the private school on July 1 of the first school year that begins after a school district is identified as an eligible school district under sub. (1m) or 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, section 9137 (3u), who has been teaching for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding that July 1, and who does not satisfy the requirements requirement under subd. 6. a. on that July 1, applies may apply to the department on a form prepared by the department for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver from the requirements under subd. 6. a. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this subd. 6. c., including the form of the application and the process by which the waiver application will be reviewed. The application form shall require the applicant to submit a plan for satisfying the requirements requirement under subd. 6. a., including If the applicant intends to obtain a bachelor's degree, the plan shall include the name of the accredited institution of higher education at which the teacher is pursuing or will pursue the bachelor's degree and the anticipated date on which the teacher expects to complete the bachelor's degree. No waiver granted under this subd. 6. c. is valid after July 31 of the 5th school year that begins after a school district is identified as an eligible school district under sub. (1m) or 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, section 9137 (3u).

AB551, s. 9 Section 9. 119.23 (2) (a) 6. a. and c. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB551,6,7 119.23 (2) (a) 6. a. Except as provided in subd. 6. c., all of the private school's teachers have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education or hold a license or permit to teach issued by the department.

AB551,6,21 c. Any teacher employed by the private school on July 1, 2010, who has been teaching for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding July 1, 2010, and who does not satisfy the requirements requirement under subd. 6. a. on July 1, 2010, applies may apply to the department on a form prepared by the department for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver from the requirements under subd. 6. a. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this subd. 6. c., including the form of the application and the process by which the waiver application will be reviewed. The application form shall require the applicant to submit a plan for satisfying the requirements requirement under subd. 6. a., including If the applicant intends to obtain a bachelor's degree, the plan shall include the name of the accredited institution of higher education at which the teacher is pursuing or will pursue the bachelor's degree and the anticipated date on which the teacher expects to complete the bachelor's degree. No waiver granted under this subd. 6. c. is valid after July 31, 2015.

AB551,6,22 (End)