CHAPTER TCS 3.03

TCS 3.03 Procedure for obtaining certification.

(1) INITIAL CERTIFICATION FOR DISTRICT EMPLOYEES. After employment of a person who requires certification, a district director or designee shall initiate the certification process by submitting a request for certification to the board. The employee shall be considered a party to any request for certification and shall provide documentation required under sub. (4) pertaining to occupational, academic and teaching experience to the district director or designee for submission to the board. A request for certification of a person following initial employment by the district shall be submitted as soon as practicable, but no later than 6 months following commencement of employment with the district.

(2) CERTIFICATION REQUESTS BY INDIVIDUALS. Following initial certification pursuant to sub. (1), an individual may request provisional or 5-year certificates for additional areas of instruction or categories of certification. Requests under this subsection shall be submitted to the district director or designee with documentation required under sub. (4) pertaining to occupational, academic and teaching experience, and the district director or designee shall forward the certification request and documentation to the board. A person requesting certification under this subsection shall be responsible for payment of a fee equivalent to the fee charged to the district by the board for certification initiated by the district. Districts shall be annually notified as to the amount of the certification fee.

(3) ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION REQUESTS BY DISTRICTS. Upon assignment of an employee to a position not included in the initial certification under sub. (1), the district director or designee shall request new certification for that employe from the board. A person who objects to obtaining additional certification may appeal the decision as provided under s. TCS 3.16

(4) REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CERTIFICATION. A person subject to the requirements of subs. (1) to (3) shall submit the following to his or her district director or designee for submission to the board:

(a) A request for certification on forms approved by the board.

(b) Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate credits from a recognized educational system to document educational requirements under this chapter for the type of certification for which application is made.

(c) Written verification of training from sources including armed forces' service schools, manufacturer's schools, and training provided by industry which prepares a person for an occupation.

(d) Copies of professional or occupational licenses required by a state or federal agency for employment in the occupation or profession.

(e) Written verification from past and present employers to document occupational experience.

(f) Written verification from recognized educational systems to document teaching experience.

NOTE: Certification application forms are available from state board certification staff.

(5) EVALUATION OF REQUESTS FOR CERTIFICATION. All requests for certification and required documentation shall be evaluated by the board certification staff for compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Education and occupation experience shall reflect current practices and standards in business and industry as determined by the director or designee. When it is determined that all requirements for certification are met, the board shall issue a certificate.

(6) CHANGES IN PROGRAM OR COURSE NUMBERING. If a program or course number for an instructional area changes and the content of the program or course remains the same, the certification shall transfer to the resulting program number or course.

(7) RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATION. (a) While a certificate is in effect, the certified person shall complete the renewal requirements designated for the appropriate certification. When the renewal requirements for a provisional, part-time provisional, or part-time approval certificate are completed, the district director or designee of the district where the person is employed shall provide documentation to the board of such completion. Board certification staff shall review the documentation and shall inform the district director or designee and the person of renewal of the certificate or nonrenewal due to a deficiency found in the renewal submissions. Upon completion of the renewal requirements for a 5-year certificate, the district director or designee of the district employing the person shall renew the certificate and shall provide that the documentation for a 5-year certificate renewal is available for audit by board certification staff.

(b) Academic credits, occupational experience or other professional activities required to fulfill certification renewal requirements which are begun after May 1 and completed before August 31 of the final year in a certification period may be applied, at the option of the certified person, toward either the current or immediately succeeding renewal period.

(8) CERTIFICATION PERIOD. The initial certificate is effective on the date which the person began work in the position requiring certification and remains effective until August 31 of the third year following issuance. All subsequent certificates shall take effect on September 1 of the year granted and remain effective through August 31 of the year of expiration.

(9) CERTIFICATION OF NONDISTRICT EDUCATIONAL STAFF. (a) The department of corrections, and the department of health and social services, including the division of youth services and the division of care and treatment facilities, may request certification from the board for employes who provide instruction for which district credit may be granted, and shall pay the costs associated with processing such requests.

(b) K-12 school districts may request certification from the board for secondary school instructors and shall pay the costs associated with processing such requests. Eligibility for certification granted under this paragraph shall be determined by the board based on consideration of factors including the secondary instructor's current certification by the department of public instruction; a determination that the high school course for which certification is sought is technical college introductory level occupational or occupational related; and a determination that enrollment in the course is limited to secondary students who have demonstrated a mastery of relevant prerequisite competencies. The certification eligibility factors shall be demonstrated in articulation agreements between the technical colleges and the secondary schools. Certification granted shall be for one academic year, or portion thereof, and may be renewed.

(10) CERTIFICATION OF ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION STAFF. Each district shall establish and maintain certification standards subject to the approval of the director or designee for adult and continuing education staff who teach state aidable courses which are not part of state designated programs.

(11) CERTIFICATION OF DRIVER EDUCATION STAFF. Driver's education instructors are required to obtain a driver's education certificate. Certification requires the instructor to hold a valid Wisconsin driver's license and to have completed 6 semester credits in driver education and 3 semester credits in safety education, for a total of 9 credits completed in the field.

History: Cr. Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; am (9), Register, July, 1993,* No.451, eff. 8-1-93; correction in (3) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7, Stats, Register, June, 1994, No.462

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