Wisconsin Places New Restrictions on Public Charter School Teachers

http://www.wiscnews.com/pdr/news/293373

A licensing change made by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requires that all public charter school teachers have a major or minor in their assigned academic subject or pass a content exam in that subject by this fall. Tony Evers, deputy state superintendent for the state DPI, says the change was necessary under federal guidelines. "We have a procedure to identify highly qualified teachers and it's necessary to be consistent," he said. Previously, teachers received a special charter school license based on their qualifications by DPI standards and approved by the department and the state Legislature. Teachers who received such charter licenses were considered "highly qualified" by DPI and the state Legislature, according to John Gee, executive director of the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association. Gee and other public charter school leaders expressed grave concern about the new change. "Whenever DPI changed the license requirements for traditional teachers, they would always give them a grandfather clause, a one-year grace period to be prepared for it, and solicit concerns," Gee said. "This is complete disrespect to these teachers." Gee said it is unfair to expect public charter school teachers to fulfill the new requirements within the next two months. "We have teachers who have gone home for the summer and don't know if they will have a job when they return," he said. He predicts some public charter schools will have to close because of a lack of certified staff. "If these charter schools are so bad then why are (families) waiting in line to attend them? Do you think the families who chose to have their kids go to them think these teachers are no good? That's a slap in the face to the parents," he said.

Source: Portage Daily News
Date: 07/06/2008