DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – As the state looks to implement changes made in the most recent budget regarding the teacher licensing process, such as allowing educators to obtain permanent licenses, it’s also looking at making other adjustments.
The Department of Public Instruction is traveling the state to get feedback on the latest plans. The first stop was at St. Norbert College in De Pere Tuesday.
“Our schools are trying to deal with shortages of teachers, especially in special education and some of the more technical areas,” said David DeGuire the Director of Teacher Education, Professional Development and Licensing for DPI.
DeGuire told FOX 11 News some of the proposed changes will be simple to make, like clarifying the language of certain rules.
“It just makes things easier to understand and easier to navigate our system,” he told us, while saying other changes will be more difficult.
For example there are seven different science teaching licenses for the different fields like biology and chemistry. DeGuire says the proposal is to condense them all into one science license. The same would be done with other subjects.
“That’s especially going to be helpful to rural districts who may only have one person as the science teacher and right now that person would have to be license in all the different areas,” he explained.
However, some teachers said at Tuesday’s hearing that change would leave teachers ill-prepared in certain subjects.
“What happens when our children don’t succeed if we don’t have high standards for the people teaching them? So I’m concerned that we may not have thought about the long-term ramifications of this,” warned Randy Soquet.
While others in the field said there needs to be more leeway for teachers coming into the field from a non-traditional route, like those who didn’t get a four-year degree in education.
“I’m asking for flexibility in the clinical programming and the required amount of time for experience consideration as we move these teachers through alternative programs, which, again, I believe are rigorous and provide absolutely fabulous teachers,” said Fran Renn-Malcheksi who works for the Cooperative Education Service Agency (CESA) 7.
DeGuire says DPI is attempting to walk this very line.
“We’re trying to balance giving districts more flexibility while still maintaining high-quality teachers in our classrooms,” he explained.
There are four more hearings in other parts of the state:
January 17, 2:30 to 4 p.m. DPI Headquarters, GEF 3, Room P41, 125 South Webster Street, Madison;
January 19, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Milwaukee Public Schools, Auditorium, 5225 West Vliet Street, Milwaukee;
January 25, 3 to 5 p.m. CESA 10, Conference Center, 725 West Park Avenue, Chippewa Falls; and
January 29, 4 to 6 p.m. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Centennial Hall, 3212 Centennial Hall, La Crosse.
DPI told FOX 11 its recommendations will eventually go to several legislative committees.
