Allowing individuals who hold a substitute teaching permit to substitute teach at private schools participating in a parental choice program, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2896/1
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2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 518
October 15, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Penterman, Armstrong, Behnke, Brooks, Goeben, Kreibich, Melotik, Murphy, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk and Wichgers, cosponsored by Senators Jagler and Nass. Referred to Committee on Education.

An Act to amend 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. and 119.23 (2) (a) 6. a.; to create 118.60 (2) (a) 6. e. and 119.23 (2) (a) 6. d. of the statutes; relating to: allowing individuals who hold a substitute teaching permit to substitute teach at private schools participating in a parental choice program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, all teachers at a private school participating in Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Racine Parental Choice Program, or the statewide parental choice program must have a teaching license issued by the Department of Public Instruction or a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution of higher education. Under the bill, an individual who holds a substitute teacher permit issued by DPI may teach as allowed under the permit at a private school participating in a parental choice program.
Current law requires DPI to grant a substitute teacher permit, also known as the three-year short-term substitute teacher permit, to an applicant who 1) has an associate degree and successfully completes substitute teacher training or 2) is at least 20 years old, is enrolled in a teacher preparatory program and has enough credits to be a junior in that program, and has completed at least 15 hours of classroom observation. A substitute teacher permit authorizes the holder of the permit to teach as a short-term substitute in any subject in any grade level.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. Except as provided in subd. 6. c. and, d., and e., all of the private school’s teachers have a teaching license issued by the department or a bachelor’s degree or a degree or educational credential higher than a bachelor’s degree, including a masters or doctorate, from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Section 2. 118.60 (2) (a) 6. e. of the statutes is created to read:
118.60 (2) (a) 6. e. An individual employed by the private school who holds a substitute teacher permit issued by the department under s. 118.19 (7m) may teach at the private school as allowed under the substitute teacher permit.
Section 3. 119.23 (2) (a) 6. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
119.23 (2) (a) 6. a. Except as provided in subd. 6. c. and d., all of the private school’s teachers have a teaching license issued by the department or a bachelor’s degree or a degree or educational credential higher than a bachelor’s degree, including a masters or doctorate, from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Section 4. 119.23 (2) (a) 6. d. of the statutes is created to read:
119.23 (2) (a) 6. d. An individual employed by the private school who holds a substitute teacher permit issued by the department under s. 118.19 (7m) may teach at the private school as allowed under the substitute teacher permit.
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