Summary / Highlights of New Rules
Article 24:15 -- Certification
- broadens the eligibility basis for certification by certifying
"instructors" who have not completed "approved teacher education
programs" but who are employed and on professional development plans (this recognizes
various types of preparation);
- "grandfathering clause" allows certifications issued on
former preparations to remain valid without meeting new requirements, so long as
certificates do not lapse. A lapsed certificate is defined as one that has been allowed to
expire without making application that establishes eligibility for renewal by Oct. 1 of
the year of expiration. This "applicability of requirements" rule also allows
teacher education candidates additional time to complete teacher education programs that
have been approved on "previous" standards.
- a change in renewal requirements so that any combination of six
semester hours of credit from any accredited postsecondary institution, including
community colleges and technical institutes, as well as department renewal credit or CEUs
may be accepted. Three semester hours of college/university credit are no longer required
to renew valid certificates.
- change in fees and validity: $30 for five-year
certificates/renewals; $20 for two-year nonrenewable certificates; $15 for one-year
nonrenewable certificates; and $20 for any actions requiring a review of certification
records and/or reissuance of a certificate;
Article 24:16 -- Teacher Preparation Program Approval
- significant condensing of related standards, especially for
review/approval of the educational unit (revised standards also reflect a high correlation
to NCATE standards);
- requirements for "education endorsement programs"
transferred from certification rules (formerly called "endorsements outside teaching
majors") with varying increases in the number of credit hours required, ranging from
zero to a maximum of 12;
- middle-level preparation incorporated into elementary and
secondary program standards and new K-12 program standards, eventually reducing the need
to require the middle level (MS/JH) eight-hour endorsement program.
|
