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Board
clarifies rules for renewal of teaching certificates
Teachers
who are renewing an existing South Dakota teaching certificate will be allowed
to use any number of DOE “renewal credits” that were earned prior to January
1, 2004, towards their upcoming renewal, regardless of the board’s new
restrictions on the number of “renewal credits.” The board reconsidered its
previous action in light of complaints from teachers who had completed
“renewal credits” in anticipation of an upcoming renewal, only to learn that
new board requirements would prohibit the use of the credits towards their
next renewal.
The
board’s restrictions go into effect July 1, 2005; however, since some teachers
may have earned “renewal credits” in excess of the new limits before the rules
changed, the board agreed to grant one-time “flex” to renewing teachers who
found themselves in such circumstances. The restrictions call for at least
three of the six required credits to be college transcripted credits;
previously any six-credit combination of college and “renewal” credits was
accepted for renewal of a certificate.
SDBOE
rules require a teaching certificate to be renewed via six earned credits
every five years. Under the new one-time provision, teachers who earned more
than three “renewal” credits before January 1, 2004, may submit them in
fulfillment of renewal requirements. |
