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ESSA Teacher Quality Notification

The Appleton Area School District knows the educational success your child experiences is directly related to the quality of our educational staff. The AASD is committed to hiring and retaining high-quality staff members. One measure of teacher quality is their educational background and licensure. All AASD teachers must have at least a Bachelor’s degree and are licensed teachers by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). In addition, 60% of our teachers hold an advanced degree. Federal law requires that we share with you the qualifications of teachers within the Appleton Area School District but specifically those schools receiving Title I funding.

The District makes every effort to secure fully certified candidates prior to hiring an educator under an emergency license. In some cases, we have emergency licensed teachers in specific areas in which they do not currently hold the license. The District has a very small number of teachers who are not fully licensed for their assignment. The teachers hired with an emergency license are for positions where there is a shortage of qualified teachers. When the District does hire an emergency licensed candidate, requirements for emergency license eligibility includes that the educator demonstrates content knowledge, enrolled in an approved graduate program leading to the required license within three years, and receives intense supervision/mentoring from the district while teaching. In addition, all instructional paraprofessionals working in Title I schools are considered “highly qualified” under ESSA. These notifications are found on the district’s website under Notices. 

Below are several specific questions you may have regarding the licensure of the staff members working with your child and the process for locating this information.  

  1. Is my child’s teacher licensed to teach the grades or subjects assigned?  
  2. Has the State waived any requirements for my child’s teacher?  

The status of the qualifications of your child’s teacher’s licensure can be found on the DPI website at: https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/license-lookup 

  • Scroll down the page and click on “Online License Lookup.” 
  • Click “Search by Name.” 
  • Enter the educator's first and last name and click “Submit.” If you do not have computer access, contact your child’s principal.
  1. What was the major of my child’s teacher in college?  
  2. What degree(s) does my child’s teacher hold?  

Answers to these two questions can be obtained by contacting Julie King, AASD Human Resources Department, at (920) 852-5300 ext. 60082.  

  1. Are there paraprofessionals working with my child? If so, what are their qualifications?  

Please contact your child’s principal directly to receive an answer to question #5.

The AASD will continue to place a high priority on hiring the most qualified educators and providing support for their continued professional growth. If you have questions or would like more information about your child’s teacher or the paraprofessionals that work within your school, please feel free to contact your school principal or the Title I office.

Greg Hartjes, Superintendent of Schools