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Certification requirements change for teachers, administrators
The SD
Board of Education and the SD Legislature made changes recently that affect
certification of teachers and administrators.
Teacher certification update
Revised
administrative rules were approved by the Board of Education regarding
renewal of a teaching certificate. Currently, a teacher may present any
combination of six hours of credit—DOE- approved renewal credit or college-transcripted
credit-- for renewal of a teaching certificate. The certificate is renewed
every five years; the credit must be earned during the five-year period.
Effective October 1, 2005, a minimum of three of the six credits must be
college-transcripted. However, to aid the transition, a teacher who earned
credits towards renewal prior to January 1, 2004, will be allowed to
present them for a certificate renewal in any combination. Any credits earned
after that date must meet the requirements of the amended rule ARSD
24:15:03:06.
Administrator certification update
Change in “years of experience” requirement.
The “years of experience” required for an administrative certificate have been
relaxed. Currently, it is required that to be certified as a K-8 or 7-12
administrator, it is necessary to have four years of classroom teaching
experience at the level of certification applied for (i.e. either K-8
or 9-12). Changes to ARSD 24:16:09, Requirements for Administrative
Programs, will allow a candidate with three years of
verified experience in a school, with one of those years being direct
services to students, to fulfill the “years of experience” requirement for the
administrative certificate.
K-12
principal certification (pending):
DOE along with BOR is proposing a K-12 principal certification that will come
before the Board of Education for a public hearing in May. With declining
enrollments, administrators are being asked to serve as K-12
principals. Current certification rules require that someone serving as a
K-12 principal holds two certificates—K-8 principal and 7-12 principal, which
is unlikely. Additionally, there are numerous cases of administrators from
out of state that have completed a K-12 principal preparation program that
does not meet current SD requirements. In both cases, the person must be
reported as a “building manager” for one of the levels.
The rule
change will require development and evaluation of curriculum for a multilevel
principal; it will also require verified experience at both levels. The
multilevel principal preparation programs will be further developed by
individual higher education institutions that choose to offer the program and
will be subject to approval by DOE.
Alternative certification for administrators:
The SD Legislature passed Senate Bill 175 during the 2004 legislative session,
requiring that all persons serving in the capacity of school administrator
(superintendent or principal) must be fully certified by July 1, 2008. The
bill marks the phase-out of uncertified CEOs and/or building managers serving
in administrative capacities in accredited schools in SD.
The bill
also sets forth the options that may be offered to uncertified persons who
wish to continue in an administrative role and thus need to quality for
certification by July 1, 2008. The options are:
1)
pass the Praxis
II subject assessment “Educational Leadership:
Administration and Supervision” test that is currently in the process
of being validated for use in
South Dakota
by a representative group of administrators;
2)
put together a
professional development plan that will fulfill all requirements for full
certification by July 1, 2008;
3)
or go before a special
board to request a waiver.
Details
for full implementation of the requirements are being worked out; further
information will be available in future editions of the Administrative
Memorandum.
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