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Republican lawmakers on the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Thursday backed away from controversial changes to Wisconsin teacher certification rules.
The measure, added to the budget in May, would have allowed anyone with a bachelor’s degree to be licensed to teach math, social studies, science, or English in Wisconsin schools. Anyone with relevant experience, but not necessarily a degree, could teach other subjects.
A provision included in the final motion before the JFC, set to be considered Thursday evening, would remove the language from the budget.
Backers of the proposal claimed it was intended to make it easier for rural school districts to fill vacant positions, although education officials argued it would give Wisconsin the most relaxed licensing standards for teachers in the nation. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers called it “breathtaking in its stupidity” and urged lawmakers to remove it from the budget.