A report on computer science certification for secondary school teachers in Wisconsin (Panel Discussion)

In 1977, the Wisconsin Certification Standards listed a secondary level teaching certificate in computer science for the first time. While at least 97 (out of 436) school districts in Wisconsin were offering courses in computer science, only five teachers were certified to teach it. A computerized audit of teachers, courses, and licenses conducted in the spring of 1978 turned up a large number of violations involving courses identified as computer science. Consequently, many teachers throughout Wisconsin were notified that they were not properly certified and could not continue to teach computer science. As a result of discussions between representatives of the Bureau for Teacher Education and Certification and the Department of Public Instruction's Mathematics Supervisor, an agreement was reached on May 3, 1978. The agreement contained the following provision: Licensed mathematics teachers who have taught computer science courses for two semesters prior to July 1, 1982, may be issued a computer science license upon the Department's receipt of an application and the administrator's verification of teaching.