School Counseling in Wisconsin
School counselors in Wisconsin are graduate-level professionals responsible for overseeing school-wide programs that facilitate children’s academic, social, and emotional growth. To do so, you must be highly trained and qualified. The question is, what does this look like in Wisconsin?
This guide explores the relevant components of licensure as a school counselor in Wisconsin. In addition to the basic educational requirements, you will learn about the experience you must have, exams you have to take, the scope of work, and other important details.
In other words, if you are ready to start your career as a school counselor in Wisconsin, this guide is a great place to begin!
What are the Requirements to Become a School Counselor in Wisconsin?
Education Requirements
You must earn a master’s degree in school counseling and guidance from an approved program to be eligible for licensure in Wisconsin. Usually, programs like this require around 60 credits of coursework, which takes about three years of full-time study to complete.
Your degree does not have to be from a Wisconsin college or university. However, it’s best if the graduate program you pursue is accredited or approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). These types of approvals indicate that the program meets rigorous educational and training requirements for school counseling.
Furthermore, Wisconsin requires school counseling licensure applicants to have an institutional recommendation from their school. However, this is only necessary if you haven’t yet met the experience requirement (discussed below) at the point of hire.
Work Experience Requirements
Wisconsin offers four different licenses. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction describes these licensure levels as follows:
- Tier I – You can apply for a one-year license (with stipulations) if you have not yet completed all the requirements to obtain a school counseling license.
- Tier II – A provisional license might be granted if you have finished an approved educator preparation program for the first time.
- Tier III – You are eligible for a lifetime license provided you have a provisional license, have completed at least six semesters of work experience in school counseling, and have met all statutory requirements.
- Tier IV – A master license might be issued if you are eligible for or already hold a lifetime license in school counseling and have completed either the Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment process or the National Board for Professional Teaching certification.
While these licenses vary somewhat, the common thread is that you must have an appropriate level of experience to qualify for any of these licenses. Experience requirements fall into three categories:
- Two years of teaching experience at the elementary or secondary levels (or both), or
- A one-year internship in school counseling, or
- Two or more years working as a licensed school counselor in a half-time position or higher
Examination Requirements
As of 2023, Wisconsin does not require testing or examination for prospective school counselors.
Background Check Requirements
A background check is required if you wish to work as a school counselor in Wisconsin.
What are the School Counselor License Renewal Requirements in Wisconsin?
Renewing your Wisconsin school counseling license takes place on the Department of Public Instruction’s Educator Licensing Online (ELO) portal. There, you will find detailed information about the process of renewing your license. Basic details are outlined below for each type of license:
- Tier I License – A Tier I license is good for one year. It can be renewed provided you are enrolled in an approved licensure program and have finished at least six credits in that program, or you have finished the required coursework in an approved program and are completing the required licensure tests.
- Tier II License – To renew a Tier II or provisional license, you must have an initial, provisional, professional, or master educator license and have six semesters of experience working in a school counseling setting. This license is good for a period of three years and can be renewed an unlimited number of times.
- Tier III License – The Tier III or lifetime license has just one renewal requirement – that you complete a background check once every five years.
- Tier IV License – To maintain a Tier IV license, you must complete a background check once every five years. You must also maintain regular employment in education for five or more consecutive years.
What are the Reciprocity Requirements for School Counselors in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin does not provide reciprocity for school counselors. However, the state is part of the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which enhances the mobility of school counselors and other education professionals to practice in different states.
As such, Wisconsin might issue a one-year renewable license if you completed an approved school counseling degree program in another state. This does not guarantee you will be granted a license, though.
How Long Does It Take to Become a School Counselor in Wisconsin?
You will need about seven years to complete the educational requirements to be a school counselor in Wisconsin – four years for a typical undergraduate degree and three additional years to complete a typical school counseling master’s degree.
There are some caveats to this timeline, though. For example, if you study part-time during your undergraduate degree, master’s degree, or both, the timeline to completion will be extended. Likewise, the timeline will be extended if you complete your undergraduate degree and then work for a few years before completing your master’s degree.
The timeframe needed to achieve varying licensure levels also varies. A Tier I license, for example, is designed for school counselors that are completing their training. In theory, you could be granted this license within five or six years of starting college.
At the other end of the spectrum, a Tier IV license requires you to have national certification or complete the Wisconsin Master Educator Assessment process. Completing these requirements might take a year or more, thereby lengthening the time required to get this license.
What is the Scope of Practice for School Counselors in Wisconsin?
In 2018, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recommended the adoption of the American School Counselor Association National Model as the model of practice in the state. The State Superintendent’s Standards Review Council adopted the ASCA model soon thereafter.
The ASCA National Model includes four components designed to ensure a high-quality school counseling program: define, manage, deliver, and assess. Focusing on these four areas results in a school counseling program that’s equitable, accessible, holistic, and developmentally appropriate.
You will have many essential responsibilities as a school counselor practicing under this model. In the “define” realm, for example, your professionalism will be defined by adherence to a strict set of ethical principles. In the “manage” realm, you are expected to utilize tools and strategies to develop, implement, and manage a school-wide school counseling curriculum.
To meet the “deliver” standards of practice, you must devise services and activities that allow you to provide students with a comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and appropriate counseling program. This program must include services related to social and emotional development, academic achievement, and career development.
Lastly, school counselors in Wisconsin are expected to assess the efficacy of the programs and services they implement in their schools. This is a data-driven component – you must collect real data, analyze it, and use your findings to make improvements to your work.
Let’s explore some real-world examples of how you can meet these standards as a practicing school counselor in Wisconsin.
For example, ASCA stipulates that part of what defines a quality school counseling program is the mindset that every student can learn and succeed. Using that mindset as a foundational principle, you might develop an after-school program that provides study time, tutoring assistance, peer learning opportunities, and other activities for students identified as performing below grade level.
With that definition in place, you must determine how the program will be managed. You might do this by devising a clear vision or mission statement for the program – something that can guide you, the students in the program, the school’s administration, and parents and guardians as well.
The next step would be to deliver the program as defined earlier. Doing so requires collaboration from all stakeholders for the implementation of direct and indirect student services.
Indirect student services in this example might include collaborating with teachers and the school administration to determine when the program will launch, where the program will be held, how long the program will run, staffing considerations, and so forth. You might provide direct services to students through individual and group counseling, while teachers might provide direct services in the form of classroom instruction.
The final component of the process would be to assess if the program has a positive impact on students, and, if so, how. Furthermore, the evaluation process can reveal ways to improve the program to be even more successful. For example, you might use exit interviews to learn what components of the program students found most and least helpful.
This is a very basic example of the type of work you might do as a Wisconsin-based school counselor. But you can still get a feel for the broad scope of this field and develop an understanding of how important planning and collaboration are for your success.
Related Reading
- Becoming a School Counselor in Alabama
- Becoming a School Counselor in Minnesota
- How to Become a School Counselor in Colorado
- How to Become a School Counselor in South Carolina