Gov. Scott Walker signed into law Tuesday a measure that allows school districts to hire vocational education teachers who lack a traditional teaching license. Credit: Journal Sentinel files

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Brown Deer — Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation Tuesday that will let districts hire vocational education teachers who do not hold traditional teachers licenses.

Walker was at the Brown Deer School District for the signing Tuesday. Brown Deer had been among the districts that championed the "experience-based" licenses. They were approved, first through the 2015-'17 budget for technical education teachers and then, through legislation, for a broader range of voc-ed posts from agriculture to business marketing.

Critics, including the state Department of Public Instruction, the state's largest teachers union and university schools of education have raised concerns, saying the measure would lower the bar on teacher standards and create an uneven licensing system around the state.

But districts point to a critical shortage of voc-ed teachers and say they need the flexibility to lure experienced professionals to the classroom or discontinue popular courses that prepare young people for work or continued training at the state's technical schools.