Maintaining a lifetime teaching, administrator, or pupil services license.
If passed, AB99 would amend the existing regulations surrounding the lifetime licenses held by educators, providing a broader definition of what qualifies as 'regular employment in education.' This could potentially allow more educators, including those with administrative roles, to retain their licenses despite interruptions in regular classroom teaching, thus aiming to preserve experienced professionals within the educational system. This change could help ensure that more individuals can continue to contribute to education in various capacities without the fear of losing their licenses due to employment gaps.
Assembly Bill 99 focuses on the maintenance and validity of lifetime teaching, administrator, or pupil services licenses in Wisconsin. The bill proposes that for the purposes of determining whether to invalidate such licenses, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) should count any time an individual is employed by the DPI as regular employment in education. Currently, the DPI only considers time spent in direct educational roles, possibly excluding those who have contributed in other capacities within the department.
While the bill seeks to provide greater security for educators, it may face scrutiny regarding its implications on standards for keeping teaching licenses. Proponents argue that the bill addresses unnecessary bureaucracy and helps maintain a pool of experienced educators who would otherwise be excluded by narrow definitions. However, opponents might raise concerns about what qualifies as 'regular employment' and whether this change could dilute the standards expected from educators who hold such significant licenses.