New teacher rules hitting classrooms
Educators give mixed reviews on revised state license requirements
The Journal Sentinel education reporters offer news and notes from their beat
Ten years after Wisconsin overhauled its licensure system for public school educators, the first big wave of teachers is set to advance under the rules - and reports are mixed on whether the change has made a difference.
Expectations for the new licensure regulations were high when they were first approved in 2000. In addition to requiring that teachers pass basic knowledge and skills tests and receive mentors for their first year in the profession, the rules also provided that teachers would have to demonstrate they had grown enough in their careers to attain a "professional" license.
For some beginning teachers, the new rules have been stressful additions to the start of an unfamiliar career with many bugs still left to be worked out. Others say they appreciate that they could set their own teaching goals and pursue related professional development activities while also reflecting on their experiences.
"I think teachers who really take the process seriously and do it with fidelity - they choose a goal that they really believe in and they want to achieve - that's fine, that's good, it serves its purpose," said Judy Gundry, a citywide mentor for educators with initial teaching licenses in Milwaukee Public Schools.
"I think it can be bad if there's someone who's going through motions and not doing anything to improve their practice. And the way it's set up, it's possible not to pursue your goal very rigidly."
Before the new rules, teachers had to receive six college credits to renew their license.
Now, school officials say the process is targeted to individual teachers' needs and involves more