Developmental Levels for Licensing

When PI 34, Wisconsin Quality Educator Initiative, was implemented in August 2004, educator licensing shifted from grade ranges to developmental levels for Initial Educator Licenses. The primary rationale for such a change was that developmental levels more clearly defined growth and student learning needs than did grade level.

PI 34 defined five development levels for licensing purposes. These five levels are:

• Early Childhood - Birth thru Age 8 (Pos./Level 70)
• Early Childhood-Middle Childhood - Birth thru Age 11 (Pos./Level 71)
• Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence - Ages 6 thru 12 or 13 (Pos./Level 72)
• Early Adolescence-Adolescence – Ages 10 thru 21 (Pos./Level 73)
• Early Childhood-Adolescence – All Ages in Public Schools (Pos./Level 74)

To see a list of administrative rules for each level go to: Wis. Administrative Code PI 34.27-30.
To see a chart representing the five developmental levels aligned to grade level and age go to: Developmental Levels Chart

Information for School Districts

The implementation of PI 34 in 2004 resulted in the creation of developmental levels for licensing, thus shifting the emphasis from license alignment with grade to license alignment with age. These developmental levels for licensing apply to all educators who completed their professional preparation program after August 31, 2004. The following information is important for school districts as they work with the PI 34 defined developmental levels.

• School districts do have the authority to make adjustments to the developmental levels for their districts based on the organizational structure of the schools and the philosophy of the school district. See Wis. Administrative Code PI 34.27-30 for more information.
• Formal changes or adjustments of the developmental levels “shall be determined by each school district through a collaborative process to include community, district personnel and school board members.” See Wis. Administrative Code PI 34.27-30 for more information.
• If a district makes changes to the PI 34 defined developmental levels, these changes must be reported to the Teacher Education, Professional Development and Licensing Team at the DPI as they will have a direct impact on the information gathered from the annual audit for educator licensing. This report should include:
  1. What changes were made?
  2. What were the reasons for the change(s)?
  3. What was the process followed including timeline?
  4. What people were involved in the process?
  5. Provide documentation that there was school board approval.
• If school districts do choose to make changes/adjustments to the PI 34 defined developmental levels, consideration should be given to the teachers involved in the changes with regard to their professional preparation program and the developmental level and ages of the students they will be teaching. The goal should be to match the training of each teacher with the developmental level/ages of the students.
• The Department of Public Instruction will continue to collect information from each school district in the state to determine their alignment with the defined developmental levels.

For questions about this information, contact licensing@dpi.wi.gov (608) 266-1027

Last updated on 5/26/2011 2:26:01 PM