Seven students at Olson Elementary will need to make up 2,430 minutes of disqualified instruction after the school reportedly hired a substitute special education teacher who lacked proper licensing to teach a portion of the students’ instruction, according to The Capital Times.
The error was brought to the attention of the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) after a parent filed a complaint with the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI), which administers teaching credentials. District spokeswoman Edell Fiedler said the mistake was unintentional and that staff members had misinterpreted DPI’s rules for allowable substitute teachers.
The Olson Elementary teacher had licenses to be a short-term substitute and special education program aide, but she exceeded the number of days (45) those with a short-term substitute license can work at a school in a specific assignment. She has yet to complete the requirements of a teaching license.
Fiedler said the person has been enrolled in a teacher-prep program, pursuing licensure as a classroom and special education teacher, which is expected in December. She also noted that a lead special education teacher worked directly with the person and gave guidance on programming, assessments, and legal protocols.
The news comes as schools statewide continue to face a shortage of special education teachers.
