Licensing requirements
Director of Special Education and Pupil Services. (a) Except as specified under par. (b), a director of special education and pupil services license is required of a person to administer a special education program or a pupil services program, or both. For a license under this subsection, the applicant shall have completed an approved program leading to licensure as a director of special education and pupil services. (b) Persons who hold a current special education supervisor-level A license may be issued a license under this subsection. PI 34.32 (5), Wisconsin Administrative Code.
The special education leadership staff person who holds a current 80 or 81 license is the primary contact for the DPI Special Education Team. When an LEA does not employ an individual with an 80 or 81 license, the responsible staff person is the district administrator.
The department provides additional support to special education leadership personnel through the WI Regional Special Education Network (RSN) - an alliance of CESA special educators who promote continuous school improvement to support full educational opportunities for children and youth with disabilities.
Special Education Leadership Directory
2024-25 Special Education & Pupil Services Leadership Academy
2024-25 Special Education Calendar- coming soon
2024-25 Academy for New Directors of Special Education and Pupil Services Resource Guide- coming soon
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Departments of Student Services/Prevention and Wellness and Special Education teams partner with the Regional Special Education Network (RSN) and the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS) to provide ongoing learning opportunities for directors of Special Education/Pupil Services through the Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Academy.
The Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Academy for 2024-25 will consist of a series of virtual sessions specifically designed for Special Education Directors and Pupil Services Leaders in their first three years of leading, but anyone is welcome to attend. The purpose of these sessions is to build awareness and understanding on technical topics related to those new to the field of Special Education/Pupil Services. Most sessions will run approximately two hours in length from 10 AM- 11:30 AM/12:00 PM. Three of the offerings will be three hours in length to allow for additional learning from 9 AM- 12PM. Registration is free and is required for each individual event.
Virtual Academy Registration Information
Join us for the first learning opportunities of the school year at the 2024-25 Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Virtual Academy!
September 25, 2024- 10 AM-12 PM
September 25 Registration Link- Click here
Tentative Topics:
- Seclusion/Restraint
- Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Summary Report
October 9, 2024- 10 AM-12 PM
October 9 Registration Link- Click here
Tentative Topics:
- Fiscal Updates and IDEA Fiscal Application Overview- MOE, Allowables, Where to find tools and resources/who to contact
- Data Snapshot Count
November 6, 2024- 9 AM-12 PM
November 6 Registration Link- Click here
Topics:
- Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI)
- Wisconsin Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) Center
- Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (WESP-DHH)
- Act 20/Literacy Updates
Information and recordings from the corresponding school year are archived on the linked webpages below: