Become a Teacher in Wisconsin

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Teaching in Wisconsin Snapshot

$59,180

Secondary School Teacher Salary

$57,980

Elementary School Teacher Salary

$11,968

Public School Spending Per Student

All career and salary information pulled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 pupil expenditure information was provided by Governing

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

125 S. Webster Street
Madison, WI 53707-7841
(608) 266-3390

University of Southern California (USC)

USC Rossier School of Education

info

Master of Arts in Teaching online

The Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares aspiring teachers for diverse and high-needs educational settings and can be completed in as few as 12 months.

  • Fieldwork placement  
  • Complete in 12-36 months  
  • GRE scores not required 

info SPONSORED

Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Wisconsin

Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 04/27/2020)

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Prerequisite Coursework in Wisconsin

Generally, states require that certified teachers hold, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree. Many states also have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Wisconsin does not list specific course or credit hour requirements, although every college or university teacher preparation program will have requirements of its own. Contact your teacher preparation program or the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for more information.

2

Wisconsin Teacher Certification Programs

Teacher education programs usually consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. Coursework often includes instruction on foundational knowledge,  skills, and pedagogy (the art and science of teaching) as well as preparation in researching, designing and implementing learning experiences in various fields of study. The fieldwork component often includes class observation, student teaching or internships.

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Required Tests for Wisconsin

In order to become a certified teacher in Wisconsin, you must satisfactorily demonstrate subject area competency through passage of a Praxis II or ACTFL World Language Test (unless GPA or portfolio alternatives are pursued), pass a Wisconsin Foundations of Reading test, and an edTPA test.

You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.coms’ Ultimate Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.

Initial Teaching Certifications

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction issues new teachers their Initial Teaching Licenses, which are valid for five years and are non-renewable, except under extenuating circumstances as a one-year extension. After at least three years of teaching, teachers may advance to their Lifetime Educator Licenses, which require a background check every 5 years. The department also offers the Master Educator License to teachers who hold a Professional Educator License and have successfully completed either their national board certification or their Wisconsin master educator assessment process.

Learn more about earning your Wisconsin teaching credential on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction websiteRead more about getting your teaching credential in general on the Teach and CertificationMap websites.

Discover an 8-week Online Teaching Short Course from Harvard’s Bok Center

Harvard University

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

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Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Deepen your understanding of higher-order teaching practices and broaden your skill set while creating a unique and inclusive strategy for your specific context.

infoSPONSORED


Alternative Certification in Wisconsin

Wisconsin allows for the development and approval of alternative programs for Initial Teaching Licenses. These programs must be pre-approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and many are dedicated to licensure in shortage areas. A list of approved alternative programs in Wisconsin can be found on the state Department of Public Instruction’s website.

Wisconsin Teacher Certification Information & Links


Transferring Your Certification

Certification Reciprocity in Wisconsin

Wisconsin allows interstate reciprocity for teaching credentials from other states with similar licensing requirements. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for information on specific out-of-state licensure circumstances, or visit the Teach.com reciprocity page to learn more.

To find out what other state teaching licenses can be used in Wisconsin, check out our Teacher Certification Reciprocity page on Teach.com.

Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Teaching Jobs

While the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does maintain its own list of teaching positions open to the public, it also directs educators searching for work to a number of other online resources. These include the Job Center of Wisconsin, which hosts a search engine for positions throughout the state and the Wisconsin Education Career Access, which features an online application system for certified staff.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

Wisconsin Teacher Salary and Incentives

According to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin teachers earn an average of  around $51,000 per year. Wisconsin school districts increase their teachers’ salaries according to their years of experience and the advanced degrees they’ve earned.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Wisconsin Teacher Benefits and Retirement

Retirement benefits for teachers in Wisconsin are handled by the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF). The ETF website provides detailed information on retirement benefits for education jobs.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

Wisconsin Teacher Shortage Areas

A teacher shortage area is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as “an area of specific grade, subject matter or discipline classification, or a geographic area in which … there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary school teachers.” The Department allows states to identify their own teacher shortage areas, but encourages them to follow a prescribed methodology based on unfilled teaching positions, teaching positions filled by instructors with irregular certifications, and positions filled by teachers certified in other subject areas.

There are currently no shortage areas listed for the state of Wisconsin.

Financial Aid in Wisconsin

There are several forms of aid available to teachers pursuing their Master’s in Teaching. The TEACH Grant, for example, offers financial aid in return for teaching full time in a high-need field at a low-income school for at least four academic years. Similarly, the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program allows teachers to teach full-time at a low-income school for five years in exchange for forgiveness of up to $17,500 of student loans. The college or university where you plan to attain your master’s degree may also offer its own aid.

Learn more about how to finance your Master’s degree on Teach.com.

Career Advancement

University of Southern California (USC)

USC Rossier School of Education

info

Master of Arts in Teaching online

The Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares aspiring teachers for diverse and high-needs educational settings and can be completed in as few as 12 months.

  • Fieldwork placement  
  • Complete in 12-36 months  
  • GRE scores not required 

Harvard University

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

info

Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Deepen your understanding of higher-order teaching practices and broaden your skill set while creating a unique and inclusive strategy for your specific context.

infoSPONSORED

Last Updated May 2020