License and Career Stages: Wisconsin State Law specifies three license stages:

Initial educator license. At this level, a candidate must have completed a performance-based system of preparation meeting the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s standards. During the first 3-5 years of holding this license, a beginning educator will design and complete a personal professional development plan relating to the educator standards. The plan will be evaluated by a 3-person team. This team will include a professional colleague, an administrator, and a representative from higher education.

The key component of the initial educator license stage will be the assignment of a mentor who will volunteer for the assignment and receive training for the role. The mentor will be given release time for mentoring activities. The mentor will be a professional colleague who is not in an evaluative role. Mentors will be a resource for the training educator to observe, confer with, obtain advice and assistance in the design and implementation of the professional development plan, and act as a liaison between the beginning educator and the community.

Professional educator license. After successfully moving through the initial educator level and meeting goals in their professional development plan within 3-5 years, educators may renew their license as a professional educator. This license will be a five-year, renewable license. To renew a license, the professional educator must design a professional development plan relating to the educator standards. The plan will be evaluated by a 3-person team of colleagues consisting of 3 teachers, 3 pupil service professionals, or 3 administrators, as appropriate. Upon meeting the goals in the plan, the license shall be renewed.

Master educator license. The master educator license is a voluntary license that will be accessible to individuals who hold a professional educator license and who submit a portfolio of authentic work for review by a 3-person team consisting of educators who have the same or similar job responsibilities, have been trained by the department, and have been nominated by professional organizations. The master license would be effective for 10 years and may be renewed by submitting an updated portfolio.

License Levels: Currently, licenses are awarded in PK-12. Students in an accredited school counseling program in Wisconsin are trained in all of these grade levels.