Teacher Career Paths

Are you considering a career change? Have you always wanted to be a teacher? What’s stopping you?

Did you know you may be able to start teaching while you earn your teaching credentials? What are you waiting for? Get your career in education!

Explore the pathways to teaching! Which pathway is right for you?

Bachelor’s Degree Pathway

Is this you?

  • No Bachelor’s degree
  • High School graduate
  • Returning adult student
  • First teaching license in WI

This pathway requires the candidate to complete a bachelor’s degree and an approved teacher preparation program at a Wisconsin college/university. Upon completion, the Wisconsin college/university will endorse you for a Wisconsin license.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Click on Initial Teacher Pathways and review option #1 for the Bachelor’s Degree Pathway.

Post Baccalaureate Pathway

Is this you?

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Career changer, entering teaching
  • Educator seeking additional license
  • College graduate, seeking MS degree in a new content area

Having earned a Bachelor’s degree, these candidates choose to return to a Wisconsin college/university approved to offer a teacher licensure program. Post-baccalaureate programs provide subject area and teaching coursework that lead to teacher licensure only or towards a master’s degree program.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Click on Initial Teacher Pathways and review option #2 for the Post Baccalaureate Pathway.

Alternative Route Program Pathway

Is this you?

  • Bachelor’s degree, with a major in the license subject
  • Career changer, entering teaching
  • Educator seeking an additional license in a Wisconsin shortage area (see below)
  • Seeking licensure in a shortage area in Wisconsin shortage area: mathematics, science, career and technical education subjects, business education, world languages, special education, bilingual/bicultural and ESL; also regional shortages (Always verify with WI DPI, as shortage list periodically updated)

For subject-specific licensure, the candidate must have already completed a major in the subject area of the license they are seeking. Wisconsin Alternative Route programs prepare candidates with teaching coursework for Wisconsin licenses in shortage areas. These programs are for licensure only and do not lead to a degree.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Click on Initial Teacher Pathways and review option #3 for the Alternative Route Program Pathway.

American Board

Is this you?

  • Bachelor’s degree, with a major in the license subject
  • Career changer, entering teaching
  • Complete a certification program that meets the Wis. Stat. 118.197

As of April 2023, the The American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) is currently the only certification program that meets all of the requirements in this statute. (Always verify this information with the WI DPI as program approvals may change.)

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Click on Initial Teacher Pathways and review option #4 for the American Board.

Experience-based Technical and Vocational Education Subjects Pathway Candidate Profile

Is this you?

  • Have training and/or experience in a trade, technical field, and/or vocational area
  • Have pedagogical training/experience
  • Have a district interested in hiring him/her to teach technical or vocational education subjects

People who fit this pathway profile are being supported by a Wisconsin public school district to teach technical or vocational education in their school.

To see if this is the pathway for you, visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Under Pathways to Licensure, review the Experience-based Technical and Vocational Education Subjects Pathway.

Out-of-State Teachers

Is this you?

Do you have a teaching license from another state or from outside the United States and seek certification in Wisconsin? Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Under Pathways to Licensure, click on Out-of-State Pathways.

Montessori Pathway

Is this you?

With a bachelor’s degree, complete a teacher preparation program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council of Teacher Education (MACTE) or Association Montessori International (AMI). Submit required documents and test scores, then apply for a license. Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Under Pathways to Licensure, click on Montessori Pathway.

School District Support License Pathways

Is this you?

Upon completing a minimum of 100 hours of formal instruction in the application of modern curricula and passing the subject-specific content tests, an individual is permitted to teach. This pathway is designed for school districts seeking to fill shortage areas with experienced content professionals.

To see if you fit the candidate profile for this pathway, Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Pathways to Licensure page for more information. Under Pathways to Licensure, click on School District Support License Pathways.

Substitute Teacher Licensure

Is this you?

  • Hold an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university as demonstrated by an official transcript.
  • AND complete an approved substitute training program. NOTE: KUSD offers an approved online substitute training program to our substitute teachers. Apply to be a KUSD substitute teacher to get started!

OR

  • Are at least 20 years of age
  • Enrolled in an educator preparation program, approved by the state superintendent that awards a bachelor’s degree
  • Has successfully completed a minimum number of credits to have achieved junior status,
  • AND has completed 15 hours of classroom observation

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Substitute Licenses page for more information.

The above pathways information is from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction page regarding Educator Preparation and Licensing. Always check the WI DPI site for the most current licensing information.

Feel free to reach out to HumanResources@kusd.edu for additional information, or visit our KUSD employment page to link to our current opportunities!