Phase 4 Meeting Frequently asked Q & A

Graduation

1. What do you mean by posting of grades and/or degree?
Before you can graduate, the grades for the current semester must be entered on the database. After grades are entered, your AR is checked one more time to make sure that all requirements have been met. If so, then the Registrar's Office will place your degree on your official records. The degree is required of students seeking their first bachelor's degree to be eligible for both a diploma and a teaching license.

If you already hold a bachelor's degree and are not seeking a 2nd bachelor's degree, then you will not be waiting for the degree to be posted - only the grades need posting. You will not be receiving a diploma in this case, but the grades may be required for a teaching license.


2. How long does it take to post my degree?
Grades are posted to your record within days after the semester has ended. However, depending on if your AR is "clear" (no bolding), the degree could be posted within a week of the grades being posted.


3. I already hold a degree. Do I have to wait to apply for my Wisconsin license until grades and/or degrees to be posted?
If you chose to pursue a 2nd bachelor's degree, then we will wait for the degree to be posted. However, if you are just seeking licensure, not a degree, then we do not wait for a degree. However, we must wait for the grades to be posted. It is highly likely that the courses you are taking during the current semester are required in your licensure program. For this reason we must wait for grades.


4. My advisor said they would take care of my deficiencies, but they are still on my record. What do I do?
Make an appointment with your advisor immediately. Advisors make every attempt to make sure the appropriate paperwork is submitted. Make an applintment to meet face-to-face to have the paperwork filled out. Always ask for a copy of the appropriate paperwork and ask your advisor who he/she will be submitting the paperwork to for further processing. Once the paperwork is submitted to the appropriate office, allow a minimum of one week before it's on your record. If you still don't see it on your AR after one week, then contact the office to whom the paperwork was submitted. They can give you a status check as to when the paperwork may be done.


5. How do I know if I still have deficiencies on my record?
Watch the READING YOUR AR video on this site. The video will go over many different stages of your AR and what areas to check.


6. My advisor said I was ready to graduate but my AR is still bolded. Why?
Your advisor may be using a checklist to assist you in your advising. However, UWW uses an AR to determine requirements. If the checklist is not updated along with the many changes that happen to programs, then your AR may not be cleared – but you have completed all the requirements. When this happens, your advisor may need to submit course directive or waiver forms.

Please be aware that if you have deficiencies in your University Requirements, your advisor can guide you, but is unable to make corrections for you. University Requirements are the authority of the Associate Dean’s Office in the College of Letters & Sciences.


7. Am I notified of my deficiencies?
Yes, but many times it’s not in time for you to pick up additional coursework to meet the deficiency. This is why it is extremely important that you monitor your AR consistently. Mid-semester, the College of Education evaluates ARs for potential graduates. We try to evaluate earlier, but it’s not always possible.

So, monitor your own AR consistently. If you plan on graduating in May, then all your bolding should be gone after your fall pre-registration for spring classes. For students who are graduating in May, your AR should be cleared by November at the latest. December graduates should be cleared for graduation by April or May, unless they are taking summer school courses. Don’t wait until you are student teaching since it’s difficult to get back to campus when staff is available.


8. Am I notified if my graduation is cleared?
Yes. Once your AR has been evaluated and cleared for graduation, the Registrar’s Office will send you a clearance notice. The College of Education does not send clearance notices, only the email deficiency notice.

Teacher Licensing Q & A

1. Can I start teaching even though I don’t have my license yet?
Legally no. But in reality, it depends on the school district. DPI states that classroom teaching should not be done until a license has been received. However, the reality of the situation is that the school district needs a teacher. You’re available. Some districts will allow you to start teaching as long as you can furnish them with your pre-eligibility letter, your potential graduation clearance letter, and a photocopy of your teaching application with the College of Education “date received” stamp.


2. I was told I would be hired if my application is on the DPI website. How can I rush the process?
Unfortunately you can’t. The school district is (rightly so) protecting themselves by not hiring you without a license. We are unable to rush the process. The applications are processed during high peak times (January, June, and August) as fast as possible. Most, if not all, applicants are in the same situation and we are not willing to put your application before someone else in the same situation.


3. What can I give my employer to show that I have applied for a license but just waiting on the process?
If you view the full Phase 4 website then fill out and submit the Phase 4 verification form before the pre-determined deadline dates, you will receive a pre-eligibility letter stating that you will be eligible for a teaching license once you complete the current semester’s courses. In addition, you will receive a graduation clearance letter (for graduation seeking students only). Both of these letters along with a photocopy of your teaching license application should assist the school district in determining if you should be hired for the position.


4. Besides my application, what else do I need to supply to you?
Remember to also include your payment and Conduct and Competency Review form. Unless you hold a previous license, nothing else needs to be included for most of you. There are a couple of exceptions to the statement

If you are applying for the business Vocational license 281, then you must include your verification hours. Contact your advisor about these hours. The College of Education submits the letters to DPI, but does not check the letters for approval.

Also, if you hold a previous degree from an institution OTHER than UW-Whitewater, then you must submit photocopies of your degree transcripts. The College of Education does not keep your previous transcripts, so please don’t inform us that we have them. You may have submitted your degree transcripts when applying to Professional Education, but we do not keep them on file. Attach them to your teaching license. Failure to do so may hold up the license process while we contact you for the copies.


5. Should I furnish you with an envelope and stamp? Will it hurry the process?
Do not furnish envelopes or stamps for Wisconsin teaching applications. We mail “batches” of applications to DPI and will not use your envelope.

Do not furnish envelopes or stamps for an Illinois teaching application. We mail your completed Illinois request directly to Springfield, IL in a special envelope.

For any other out-of-state application, you can furnish the envelope if you wish. When processing the out-of-state application, we follow the mailing instructions listed on the form. If it states to mail it back to the applicant, we will.


6. Can I bring my application to have you sign it?
You can certainly bring your application to the Winther Hall Information Desk and drop it off. However, at no time will the application be signed immediately. Much evaluation must be done on each application. Also, applications during the normal semesters are prepared on a first-come, first-served basis. Since licensing during that time is not the main focus of the office, we process them as fast as possible. Typical processing time is 4-6 weeks.

During January, June, and August, the main focus in our office is licensing. During that time, the Certifying Officer “hides away” to process applications within a week’s time, if not days.


7. If I apply for an out of state license, will you return the application to me?
The application will be returned to you if stated on the application to do so. If it is not clear on the application where it should be returned, then it will also be returned to you unless you give different instructions.


8. I don’t plan on teaching right now. When should I apply for my license?
It is our opinion that you should apply for your license right away. You may have a teaching opportunity later and you will want us to rush your application. By applying immediately, you will have the license in hand if an opportunity should come your way. You’re PDP “clock” does not begin until you actually accept a teaching position in the State of Wisconsin. If you don’t teach within five years of receiving your initial teaching license, you can either renew it or wait until you are ready for it. Please visit the Licensure Renewal Center site for additional information about PDP’s.


9. I plan on teaching out of state. Do I need to apply for my Wisconsin license?
It is our opinion that you should apply for your license right away. It is much easier to obtain out-of-state licensing when you hold your Wisconsin license. You’re PDP “clock” does not begin until you actually accept a teaching position in the State of Wisconsin. If you don’t teach within five years of receiving your initial teaching license, you can either renew it or wait until you are ready for it. Please visit the Licensure Renewal Center site for additional information about PDP’s.


10. Will I receive notification that you have processed my Wisconsin license?
Once we have completed your teaching application, we will send you a Verification of Program Completion form indicating the date we sent your application to DPI. This form is not furnished until after we are done with your application. The form is honored by DPI as endorsement by our office and should be used for interviewing decisions by the school district. The form is not a license and cannot be used as one.


11. Where do I send my Wisconsin teaching application?
Send your completed application to:

Teacher Licensing
College of Education
Winther Hall Information Desk
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190


12. I’m applying for an out of state license. Who signs the application and where do I send it?
The Certifying Officer in the College of Education evaluates and signs all teaching applications, regardless of which state. Each time an application comes through our office, an evaluation must be done. However, if you hold, or have held, a Wisconsin teaching license, the out-of-state process is much faster.


13. Do I need to fill out fingerprinting cards?
The submission of fingerprints is an important part of the process of conducting background checks on certain applicants for a Wisconsin educator license.

Applicants who have worked, resided, or physically attended classes in:

• A state other than Wisconsin
• A listed U.S. territory (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, or Virgin Islands)
• Canada
• Great Britain


within the last twenty years (after age 17) are required to submit fingerprints with their applications.

If you previously submitted fingerprints to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) you must submit fingerprints again if, since the previous submission, you have worked, resided, or physically attended classes in any of the locations listed above. The department may also require other applicants to submit fingerprints during the course of the background investigation. Wis Stats ? 118.19(10)(c).


14. Where can I get fingerprinting cards?
To obtain fingerprinting cards, you can use the DPI website here or you can contact the Winther Hall Information Desk at education@uww.edu or by calling 262-472-1184 for the request.


15. My school district wants a copy of my application form. Can I get a copy?
Contact the Winther Hall Information Desk at education@uww.edu or by calling 262-472-1184 to request a copy of the application. We will furnish you with a copy of the actual application which will have a “date received” stamp on the front.


16. How do you know that I participated in the Phase 4 presentation?
We trust that you are interested in knowing and understanding the graduation and licensing information. For that reason, we also trust that you will visit all sections of the Phase 4 website. Within the website is a Phase 4 Verification Form that must be filled out to confirm that you have participated in the Phase 4 presentation on this site. The Phase 4 Verification Form also initiates a pre-eligibility letter for you. Don’t wait in viewing this whole site. The pre-eligibility letter that is initiated by the Phase 4 Verification Form has very firm deadline dates. No exception will be made to the deadline date.


17. I need a letter from the college indicating that I’m eligible for a license. Who do I contact?
Please see the questions “What can I give my employer to show that I have applied for a license but just waiting on the process?” and also the question “How do you know that I participated in the Phase 4 presentation?”

If you miss the dealine date for the pre-eligibility letter, you will be referred to your advisor for a possible letter. Your advisor is not mandated to furnish you with such a letter. Your best solution is to turn in the Phase 4 Verification Form by the deadline date.


18. How do I know what I can teach?
There is a licensure code section on this website to help you determine your licensure codes and licensure levels. After knowing your codes, you can search the DPI website at http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/fqlcode.html to help you determine what you can teach. Check with your advisor or education program coordinator for more specific questions about your program. Licensure program coordinators can be found at http://www.uww.edu/coe/advising/licensure/coordinators.html.


19. I’m confused on the licensure codes. Where do I find my licensure codes?
Check the sample licensure codes found on this website.


20. Where can I find the DPI website?
You can either find the DPI website from the Licensure Website at UWW or by the following:

DPI website for applications: http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/applications.html

DPI website for application status: http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/lisearch.html

DPI website for approved programs: http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/indexed.html


21. How can I print off my own transcripts?
You can print off unofficial transcripts from your WINS program at https://uwwins.uww.edu/psp/uwwins/?cmd=login


22. How do I know if DPI received my application?
Once our office completes the endorsement process, we mail your application to DPI. You can check your DPI status here.