Certification & licensures

Teacher education programs offered at UWL are aligned with the WI administrative code for educator preparation, Wis. Admin. Code § PI 34Graduates who successfully complete an approved undergraduate teacher education program and have been endorsed by UWL are eligible to apply to the WI Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for a Wisconsin Tier II teaching license.
 
Wisconsin DPI Licensure Ranges Grade Ranges
Early Childhood Education (ECE) birth-grade 3
Elementary/Middle Education (EME)  K-9
Middle and High School Education (STEP) 4-12
Kindergarten through grade 12 K-12

In 2018, WI DPI changed the Administrative Code regulating educator licensing. Like all educator preparation programs in Wisconsin, UWL is authorized to prepare and endorse teacher candidates completing programs under the pre-2018 license ranges until August 2023. Teaching licenses and programs based on the developmental levels prior to 2018 can be found in earlier catalogs

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I apply for my license? expanding section

In order to have your completion data uploaded to the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) electronic licensing portal, you must have completed student teaching, received passing edTPA scores and final SIPs forms, and had your final term grades posted.  At that time the certification officer will begin processing student completions.  When the processing is complete, the certification officer will send out an email notification clearing you to apply for your license. A detailed set of instructions on how to apply for your license will also be included in the notification email.  Please do not apply for your license until you receive the notification email from the certification officer.

I am still awaiting passing edTPA scores, but I have finished student teaching. Can I apply for my license and have my degree posted to my transcript? expanding section

SOE requires passing edTPA scores for program completion at UWL.  Therefore, no completion data can be uploaded to the DPI’s licensing portal until we receive your passing edTPA scores.

I completed some of my student teaching requirements in another state/country. Do I need to submit fingerprints to DPI? expanding section

According to the DPI website, any student who has worked, resided, or attended school outside of Wisconsin since they turned 18 years old is required to submit fingerprints with their license application.  Complete details about fingerprinting for DPI can be found here:  https://dpi.wi.gov/licensing/background-check/fingerprint-requirement/submission.

I participated in the recent graduation ceremony. When will my degree be posted to my transcript? expanding section

Although the graduation ceremony has occurred, your program is not considered complete until your student teaching experience has ended (per Wisconsin licensing statute 118.19.3a).  Your final grade for student teaching will not be posted until the end of your student teaching experience and we have verified your final SIPs forms are on file in the Field Experience Office.  Once we have verified completion of those items, we will provide your graduation clearance to the UWL Records Office they will post your degree.

I am experiencing technical difficulties with the electronic licensing portal on the Wisconsin DPI website. Can you help me? expanding section

The School of Education does not have access to troubleshoot technical difficulties in the DPI electronic licensing portal.  Please contact DPI directly for assistance:  https://dpi.wi.gov/support/contact-educator-licensing.

Can I substitute teach? expanding section

Substitute teaching during student teaching is not allowed.  Prior to student teaching, students in an Educator Prep Program in Wisconsin may be eligible to apply for a short term substitute teaching license. See DPI website for eligibility requirements and more information.

Please contact Jen Pinnow, Teacher Certification Officer with any questions.
 
 

NOTE: This Certification by State page is intended to help find information on states of your choice. We are not responsible for the content beyond this site. For questions regarding certification in states other than Wisconsin, please refer to the contact information contained in the links below. 

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas
California Colorado Connecticut Delaware
D.C. Florida Georgia Hawaii
Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa
Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine
Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota
Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico
New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio
Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island
South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas
Utah Vermont Virginia Washington
West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico

Contact Information

Jen Pinnow  Profile of Jen Pinnow

Academic Services Director
Morris Hall
jpinnow@uwlax.edu