This is an overview of Wisconsin's ETPL eligibility criteria. For more detailed information on this topic, please review sections 7.3 Eligible
Institutions and Program Types and 7.4 ETPL Eligibility of the DWD's WIOA Titles I-A and
I-B Policy & Procedure Manual.
Every training institution seeking to add one or more training programs to Wisconsin's ETPL must first meet the following Institution Minimum Requirements:
- the institution is an eligible institution type;
- the institution is a direct provider of training services that have a vocational objective;
- the institution has a current, verifiable Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN);
- the institution has a current, verifiable Federal Unique Entity ID;
- the institution has an active registration on SAM.gov and is not federally debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in federal programs or activities (NOTE: registering on SAM.gov is free);
- the institution is not a delinquent taxpayer with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue;
- the institution has an Officer that the DWD can identify through sources other than the Institution Application and applicant;
AND
- the Officer agrees to and electronically signs Wisconsin's ETPL Agreement within 60 days of the date the institution submitted its application to join the ETPL.
If the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) determines the training institution meets the Institution Minimum Requirements, the DWD next
classifies the institution as either a "Standard" or "Alternate" institution.
A Standard institution is one that meets at least one of the following standard eligibility criteria:
- it is part of the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, or the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities;
- it is a public out-of-state university, technical college, or community college;
- it is a fully accredited tribal college or university; OR
- it is an out-of-state institution providing distance education that is approved by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA)
and it will include only distance education programs on Wisconsin's ETPL.
An Alternate is any type of training institution that is not a Standard institution. An Alternate institution must be able to demonstrate or provide documentation that it has met the approval or licensure requirements set forth by the appropriate state-level regulatory authority to provide the training program at issue. This means that an institution subject to the Wisconsin's Educational Approval Program (EAP) regulatory authority must demonstrate it has secured approval from the EAP before the DWD can determine its program is eligible for Wisconsin's ETPL. This also means that an institution that is required to obtain approval or licensure by another Wisconsin state agency or board - in addition to, or in lieu of, the EAP - must demonstrate it has secured such approval or licensure before the DWD can determine its program is eligible for Wisconsin's ETPL. When applicable, the DWD follows internal procedures in an attempt to ensure training institutions are compliant with state approval or licensing requirements.
Wisconsin's EAP is located within the Department of Safety and Professional Services and is charged with regulating most private entities (including those based outside of Wisconsin) that offer occupational training and educational programs to Wisconsin residents. Go to the EAP's website to:
- learn more about the EAP's regulatory authority and approval requirements.
- review the EAP's New School & Program Approval Guide, which also covers its fees and timelines.
- see a list of other state-level regulatory authorities based on training program type.
Note: The DWD cannot advise institutions on the appropriate approvals or licensures they must obtain to legally operate their training program(s).
With some exceptions, if an Alternate institution is not regulated by the EAP or another Wisconsin state agency or board, the institution must attest to this and meet all of the following before a program can be determined eligible for Wisconsin's ETPL:
- the institution meets all requirements in Wis. Stats. Ch. 180. The DWD verifies on the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions' (DFI) website that the
institution is registered and current with its organizational filings. If the institution is exempt from the requirement of obtaining a Certificate of Authority
from DFI, the institution must supply documentation showing that it qualifies for the exemption.
- the institution is current on all Wisconsin unemployment insurance tax obligations.
- the institution is compliant with worker's compensation insurance coverage requirements as outlined in Wis. Stats. Ch. 102.
- the institution submits one letter of support from an employer that is on the employer's official letterhead and contains the following:
- the name and address of the employer,
- a date, including the year,
- identification of the Alternate institution and the specific training program(s) offered by that institution that the employer supports,
- a statement from the employer that demonstrates its history of or experience with hiring students who complete the training program and/or the
employer's desire to hire students who complete the training program,
- a signature - physical or digital - from an employer representative who is in a leadership position with the employer (e.g., owner, president,
vice president, director or other executive), and
- the job title of the signatory.
DWD will determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether these additional eligibility criteria apply. For example, some types of training institutions and/or programs are regulated by federal agencies or authorities and, as a result, may be determined to be excepted from these additional eligibility requirements.