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Eight Tosa digital skills certifications were added to the Wisconsin CTE Incentive Grants Approved Certifications List, giving Wisconsin school districts a DWD-aligned way to earn state incentive grant funding for students who complete high-quality digital skills credentials. All Tosa certifications are listed under the Digital Technology career cluster.
Download the 2026–27 Approved Certifications List (PDF) +"The Career and Technical Education Incentive Grant program incentivizes Wisconsin school districts to offer high-quality career and technical education programs to meet workforce needs in key industries facing shortages of qualified entry level workers."
— Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, CTE Incentive Grants
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) approves industry-recognized certification programs, selecting certifications that mitigate workforce shortages in identified occupation and industry shortage areas. The shortage list is updated annually on October 15 and informs the Approved Certifications List for the following academic year. Tosa certifications qualify under the Digital Technology career cluster, which maps to the Information Technology shortage area. School districts may submit recommendations for new certifications from October 15 through December 1 each year.
CTE Incentive Grants Program Overview (DWD) +
Wisconsin's CTE Incentive Grants program is eligible from Grade 5 through postsecondary.
| Category | Wisconsin Eligibility |
|---|---|
| School Types | Wisconsin public school districts, including any school serving grades 5–12 |
| Grade Levels | Grades 5–12. Students may earn certifications at any point during their high school education through June 30 of the graduation year. |
| Postsecondary | Postsecondary students and students enrolled in dual enrollment programs are also eligible. |
| Graduation Requirement | The student must have graduated from the claiming district in the prior year. Districts submit grant claims in the calendar year following graduation. |
| Certification Timing | Certifications may be earned at any point in the student's education, but districts may only submit claims in the year the student graduates. The certification must have been on the approved list for the year it was earned. |
The eight Tosa certifications below are approved on the Wisconsin CTE Incentive Grants list, all under the Digital Technology career cluster.
| Tosa Certification | Required Level | Min. Score | Documentation Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Technology Career Cluster | |||
| Tosa Certified User for Google Workspace | Experienced | min. 551 at all 3 exams | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa Certified User for Adobe Graphic Design | Productive | min. 551 on each exam | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa JavaScript | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa Python | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa Web Developer | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa WordPress | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa Microsoft Power BI | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
| Tosa Salesforce | Productive | min. 551 / 1,000 | Copy of signed and dated certificate |
About the required level & score: Tosa certifications are scored on a 1–1,000 scale. Wisconsin applies Tosa's standard cut score.
Wisconsin CTE Incentive Grants generate direct state funding to school districts for student credential attainment, creating a tangible financial incentive for districts to build and sustain digital technology programs.
At the state level, certification attainment data informs DWD's annual analysis of workforce shortage mitigation under Wis. Stat. 106.273. Districts also report CTE outcomes through Perkins V accountability indicators tracked by DPI, including the concentrator skill attainment (2S1) and credential attainment (2S2) indicators.
| Reporting Element | Wisconsin Details |
|---|---|
| Lead Agency | DWD administers and approves claims; DPI administers the grant application and claims portal. DWD, DPI, and the Wisconsin Technical College System Office work together to support the program. |
| Claims Portal | CTE Claims Portal — administered by DPI at dpi.wi.gov/cte/technical-incentive. |
| Submission Window | Mid-June through late September each year. Claims are submitted in the calendar year the student graduates. |
| Who Submits | District CTE coordinator or designated staff. The district submits all incentive grant claims on behalf of graduating students. |
| What Is Submitted | A claim for each eligible graduate with a copy of the signed and dated Tosa certificate. Claims must match the exact certification name on the approved list. |
| FERPA Consent Step | Districts must complete a one-time consent step authorizing DPI to share student PII with DWD, as required by FERPA. Introduced for the Class of 2025. |
| Payment | DWD verifies claims and distributes district incentive grant payments. |
| Perkins V Reporting | DPI tracks Perkins V secondary performance indicators separately, including credential attainment rates for CTE concentrators. Districts report IRC attainment through WISEdata. |
⚠ Important: DWD and DPI provide webinars each June on the claims submission process. All training webinars, slide decks, and transcripts are available on-demand in the Training & Resources section of the DWD CTE Incentive Grants page. The Quality Control Checklist should be completed before submitting any claims.
DWD training resources: Training & Resources (DWD) · DPI claims portal: CTE Claims Portal (DPI)
Wisconsin CTE Incentive Grants are state-funded through Wis. Stat. 106.273, administered jointly by DWD and DPI. Districts may additionally use Perkins V federal CTE funds to cover exam costs and related program expenses.
| Funding Source | Wisconsin Details |
|---|---|
| State CTE Incentive Grant (Primary) | State-funded district incentive grant of up to $1,000 per recent graduate per approved certification claim. The actual amount is prorated across all approved statewide claims — the common amount is approximately $250 per student. Paid directly to the school district after DWD claim verification. |
| Perkins V (Federal CTE Funding) | Federal CTE funds under Perkins V may be used to fund certification exam purchases and related CTE program costs. Administered through DPI's Carl D. Perkins Act formula and reserve grants. |
| Local District Budget | District CTE budgets and local program funds may also be used to purchase certification exams and support program implementation. |
Perkins V grants (DPI): Perkins V Formula Grants (DPI)
Empower your students with DWD-approved, industry-valued digital credentials that generate Wisconsin CTE Incentive Grant funding — eight certifications under the Digital Technology cluster, covering Google Workspace, Adobe design, coding, web development, and business technology.
Talk to a Wisconsin Education Specialist +