Part Time Teaching Licenses: Wisconsin

Analysis of Wisconsin's policies

Wisconsin does not offer a license with minimal requirements that would allow content experts to teach part time.

Recommendations for Wisconsin

Offer a license that allows content experts to serve as part-time instructors.
Wisconsin should permit individuals with deep subject-area knowledge to teach a limited number of courses without fulfilling a complete set of certification requirements. The state should verify content knowledge through a rigorous test and conduct background checks as appropriate, while waiving all other licensure requirements. Such a license would increase districts' flexibility to staff certain subjects, including many STEM areas, that are frequently hard to staff or may not have high enough enrollment to necessitate a full-time position.

State response to our analysis

Wisconsin asserted that the Professional Teaching Permit allows a content expert to teach with minimal requirements.

Last word

The Professional Teaching Permit does not meet the intent of this goal, which is to allow content experts to teach part time. This license is more in line with alternate routes that lead to full certification, as it requires that applicants complete 100 hours of an alternate route training program.