Wisconsin teachers now allowed lifetime licenses after just 3-year period

Teachers also not required to complete training
or professional development to renew license.

Wisconsin teachers will no longer be forced to renew their licenses periodically, as part of the newly passed Wisconsin budget.

Teachers were required to complete training or professional development plans to renew licenses.

Now, teachers will need a temporary three-year license before they are eligible to have a lifetime license with background checks every five years.

“Easier process, obviously, for teachers,” La Crosse Schools human resource director Mark White said. “Then they’ll move to a professional educator license that will not have an expiration date any longer.”

White hopes La Crosse teachers continue going to development sessions voluntarily.

“We know in the district, of course, that teachers will continue to improve themselves,” White said. “Take courses. We encourage them to do so by the use of our salary schedule.”

White believes part of the thought process is to keep older teachers around longer by lessening the requirements they have to go through.

He added that the changes are new for everyone in the district, although this philosophy was law back in the 1970s.

“It’s just been a couple weeks trying to think about how we’re going to approach this, what can we do to make some changes” White said.