- Wisconsin has seen a nearly 20% increase in emergency teaching licenses since the 2021-22 school year.
- These licenses allow individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field to teach before meeting full certification.
- The share of Milwaukee Public Schools teachers using emergency licenses in the 2025-26 school year has decreased, according to district figures.
A growing number of Wisconsin educators are using emergency teaching licenses to work in schools, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
The state Department of Public Instruction issued about 4,000 emergency licenses in the 2023-24 school year — up about 1% from the 2022-23 school year and a nearly 20% increase since 2021-22, the nonpartisan research organization found.
The DPI may grant emergency teaching licenses to individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field, allowing them to teach before meeting full certification requirements. The state agency may also renew emergency licenses for those pursuing full licensure.
Schools can benefit from hiring teachers with emergency licenses to help fill classroom vacancies, especially in subjects with a shortage of credentialed teachers, said Policy Forum researcher Don Cramer. However, critics worry these educators may not have the uniform training that teachers with full licenses receive, Cramer said.