Current through August 26, 2024
(1) AUTHORIZATION.
A tier IV license issued under this section authorizes an individual to teach
or work in the license area specified under subch. VI, VII, VIII, or
IX.
(2) ELIGIBILITY. The state
superintendent may issue a tier IV license if the applicant holds or has held a
valid tier III license and is certified by the national board for professional
teaching standards or, if there is no applicable national board assessment, the
applicant meets all of the following requirements:
(a) The applicant submits an application to
the state superintendent which includes evidence of all of the following:
1. The applicant holds a master's degree
related to grade level and subject area of the license.
2. The applicant has at least 5 years of
successful professional experience under a tier III license in the license area
of the tier III license.
3. The
applicant has made contributions to the profession.
4. The applicant has improved pupil
learning.
(b) An
assessment team recommends the applicant for a tier IV license. The assessment
team shall base its decision on all of the following:
1. A formal assessment process of the
applicant demonstrates that the applicant has mastered of the applicable
standards under subch. II. The assessment process shall be comparable to the
national board for professional teaching standards process and be approved by
the state superintendent.
2. The
applicant demonstrates exemplary professional performance through video or
on-site observation by the assessment team.
(3) ASSESSMENT TEAM. The assessment team
under sub. (2) (b) shall meet all of the following requirements:
(a) The assessment team shall be composed of
3 educators who have the same or similar job responsibilities. It may also
include a school board member.
(b)
The assessment team members shall be nominated by professional organizations
and be approved by the state superintendent.
(c) The assessment team members have
successfully completed training provided by the department.
(4) LICENSE AREA. The state
superintendent shall assign the same license area to a tier IV license issued
under this section as the applicant's tier III license.
(5) DURATION. A license issued under this
section remains valid unless one of the following occurs:
(a) The license holder has not been regularly
employed in education for 5 or more consecutive years.
(b) The license holder does not meet the
requirements under sub. (6). The state superintendent shall restore a license
that becomes invalid under this paragraph if the license holder obtains a
satisfactory background check under sub. (6) within 180 days of the license
being invalidated.
(6)
BACKGROUND CHECK. An individual holding a license issued under this section
shall submit a request to the department to have a new background check
conducted once every five years. The request shall be made between January 1
and June 30 of the fifth year since the individual's last background check, and
by the same dates every five years thereafter. The department may charge a
reasonable fee to cover the cost of background checks.
