WTCS CERTIFICATION PARTNERSHIP

Certification of staff is traditionally granted by a state, under supporting legislation. The Wisconsin technical college system does require certification of district personnel involved with state designated programs.

Certification requests are not submitted until an individual is employed by a technical college district or a state agency delivering vocational education. The individual does not pay a fee for this initial certification, or recertification that is a result of his/her district employment. The individual does not normally deal directly with the Wisconsin Technical College System Board in the certification process.

Chapter WTCS 3 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code identifies the District Director or appointed representative as the individual responsible for the certification process in each district. This appointed representative is known as the District Certification Officer.

In addition, the code states the certification process shall be initiated by the district after assignment of affected employees. Districts have the right to make an assignment, prior to the granting of certification by the state. This is a significant aspect to WTCS certification and requires local judgment prior to the assignment. This judgment must consider the academic preparation and occupational experience of an individual, knowledge of the task to be performed, and a thorough knowledge and understanding of the certification process in the WTCS system.

The District Certification Officer is also responsible for exercising judgment as individuals seek to utilize the district's plan of activities for professional growth that is used for renewal of five-year certificates.

The certification code mandates a unique situation where the District Certification Officer functions as an extension of the State Certification Officer in the certification process. While a district employee, the District Certification Officer is responsible for the collection, submission, and maintenance of all documentation necessary for certification of individuals. District Certification Officers are guided in their function by the certification code, the certification handbook, and the certification user's guide for the submission of requests.

The State Certification Officer serves to review district decisions and the documentation submitted in support of those decisions. In an ideal situation, certification would be granted whenever requested by a district. Lack of precise information, differences of opinion, taxonomy problems, and other situations make it necessary to sometimes deny certification requests. The mutual goal in the WTCS system is to move towards a universal understanding that would make these denials unnecessary. The certification process requires effective communications between the state office and the district.

The certification process is enforced by annual certification audits. One audit is the result of matching staff accounting reports against the state certification file. A second audit is a sample audit of those individuals renewing five-year or part-time approval certificates. A third audit, also a sample audit, concerns individuals not certified by the state, but teaching aidable Adult and Continuing Education courses.

Last reviewed: January 29, 2002

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