Surge in Wisconsin’s Emergency Teaching Licenses as Educator Retention Crisis Deepens 

Wisconsin schools are increasingly relying on emergency teaching licenses to staff classrooms across the state. It’s a trend experts say reflects an educator retention crisis, rather than a true shortage of qualified educators.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), nearly 4,000 emergency teaching licenses were issued during the 2023–24 school year. That’s a 20% increase compared to 2022. The licenses allow individuals who do not meet full state licensure requirements to teach temporarily. Some commit to pursue their certification later.

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Additional highlights from the DPI’s Workforce Report:

• Only 55.6 percent of teachers were still teaching in public schools by their seventh year. The rate for special education teachers was even lower at 46 percent.
• 79.3 percent of completers became licensed and only 66.6 percent of completers went on to become employed in a Wisconsin public school.
• The largest shortage area for licensure is now in regular education in elementary and middle school.
• Cities and charter schools are experiencing the highest shortages.

Find the full report here.

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Masking the Problem

Supporters describe emergency licenses as a necessary stopgap, especially for school leaders facing open classrooms weeks before the school year begins. But critics warn this practice has evolved from what has been a short-term solution into a long-term policy substitute, and particularly in high-need areas like special education.

“This isn’t solving the problem. It’s masking it,” education policy analyst Dr. Tim Slekar says.

Slekar has studied teacher labor trends for years. And during a recent discussion as the co-host of a Busted Pencils episode of “Class in Session,” he argued the issue is not a lack of qualified teachers, but the profession’s inability to retain them. Slekar refers to the phenomenon as a “teacher exodus,” driven by increased workload, inadequate support, and chronic underfunding.

Listen to the complete discussion here:

[podcast src="https://civicmedia.us/shows/busted-pencils/2026/01/07/a-decade-of-emergency-class-in-session"]

What is an Emergency License?

Tier I emergency licenses, under Wisconsin’s system, typically require only a bachelor’s degree and a commitment to pursue full licensure. Tier II licenses represent a more advanced step toward certification. And while state law requires public schools to employ licensed teachers, emergency licensing effectively creates an exception — allowing districts to meet staffing requirements without fully credentialed educators.

But some of the classrooms are being disproportionately affected. DPI data shows special education remains the area with the highest number of emergency licenses issued statewide. This is a trend advocates say raises serious legal and ethical concerns.

“Families are legally guaranteed services from qualified special educators,” Slekar explains. “Emergency licensing becomes an end-around that requirement. Parents assume compliance, but the reality is often very different.”

Finding a Fix for the Emergency

Educators acknowledge many emergency-licensed teachers are deeply committed and well-intentioned. They often come from careers in engineering, the military, or other skilled professions. Still, critics argue that passion alone cannot replace formal training and particularly in complex instructional settings.

“If we keep fixing August staffing emergencies without fixing why positions are open in August, we’ll never solve this,” Slekar says.

And as Wisconsin continues to issue record numbers of emergency licenses, the hosts believe the debate around it will continue. Is the policy a necessary response to immediate staffing needs or a warning sign of a system under strain – quietly redefining what it means to be a teacher.