DAR File No. 32643

Education, Administration

R277-503-4

Licensing Routes

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE

DAR File No.: 32643
Filed: 05/01/2009, 02:43
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This rule is amended to provide new and amended language to clarify procedures for current educator license holders who are applying for district-specific licenses in additional license areas of concentration.

Summary of the rule or change:

The amendments add new and amended language to Section R277-503-4 to clarify procedures for additional endorsements attached to educators' licenses.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Subsection 53A-1-402(1)(a)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to the state budget. The new and revised language clarifies procedures. This clarification of procedures does not require additional funding.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to local government. The new and revised language clarifies procedures. This clarification of procedures does not require additional funding.

small businesses and persons other than businesses:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to the state budget. The new and revised language clarifies procedures that relate to educators in public schools and does not involve small businesses. Subsection R277-503-4-B(3)(e) may give license applicants money. Years of successful volunteer experience may be substituted for required license courses.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons. No additional fees are required of licensed educators because of the new and revised language in the rule.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

I have reviewed this rule and I see no fiscal impact on businesses. Patti Harrington, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Carol Lear at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7835, by FAX at 801-538-7768, or by Internet E-mail at carol.lear@schools.utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

06/15/2009

This rule may become effective on:

06/22/2009

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-503. Licensing Routes.

R277-503-4. Licensing Routes.

Applicants who seek Utah licenses shall successfully complete accredited programs or legislatively mandated programs consistent with this rule.

A. Institution of higher education teacher preparation programs shall be:

(1) Nationally accredited by:

(a) NCATE; or

(b) TEAC; or

(2) Regionally accredited competency-based teacher preparation programs as provided under R277-503-1N.

B. USOE Alternative Routes to Licensure (ARL)

(1) To be eligible to begin the ARL program, an applicant for an elementary or early childhood school position shall have a bachelors degree and at least 27 semester hours of applicable content courses distributed among elementary curriculum areas. Elementary curriculum areas are provided under R277-700-4. To proceed from temporary license status, an ARL applicant shall submit a score on the ETS Praxis II Elementary Education Content Knowledge Examination (0014) to be used as a diagnostic tool and as part of the development of a professional plan and the issuance of the ARL license.

(2) To be eligible to begin the ARL program, applicants for secondary school positions shall hold a degree major or major equivalent directly related to the assignment. To proceed from temporary license status an ARL license applicant shall submit a score on identified ETS Praxis II Applicable Content Knowledge test(s) where available to be used as a diagnostic tool and as part of the development of a professional plan and the issuance of the ARL license.

(3) Licensing by Agreement

(a) An individual employed by a school district shall satisfy the minimum requirements of R277-503-3 as a teacher with appropriate skills, training or ability for an identified licensed teaching position in the district.

(b) An applicant shall obtain an ARL application for licensing from the USOE or USOE web site.

(c) After evaluation of candidate transcript(s), and rigorous Board-designated content test score, the USOE ARL advisors and the candidate shall determine the specific content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge required of the license applicant to satisfy the requirements for licensing.

(d) The USOE ARL advisors may identify institution of higher education courses, district inservice classes, Board-approved training, or Board-approved competency tests to prepare or indicate content, content-specific, and developmentally-appropriate pedagogical knowledge required for licensing.

(e) An applicant who has been employed as a full-time instructional paraeducator may offer that experience in lieu of one or more pedagogy courses as follows:

(1) The applicant has had at least three years of paraeducator experience;

(2) The applicant's experience has been successful based on documentation from the school/school district; and

(3) The USOE has approved the applicant's experience in lieu of pedagogy course(s).

([e]f) The employing school district shall assign a trained mentor to work with the applicant for licensing by agreement.

([f]g) The school district shall supervise and assess the license applicant's classroom performance during a minimum one school year full-time employment experience. The district may request assistance from a institution of higher education or the USOE in the monitoring and assessment.

([g]h) The school district shall assess the license applicant's disposition as a teacher following a minimum one school year full-time teaching experience. The district may request assistance in this assessment; and

([h]i) The USOE ARL advisors shall annually review and evaluate the license applicant following training, assessments or course work, and the full-time teaching experience and evaluation by the school district.

([i]j) Consistent with evidence and documentation received, the USOE ARL advisor may recommend the license applicant to the Board for a Level 1 educator license.

(4) USOE Licensing by Competency

(a) A school district employs an individual as a teacher with appropriate skills, training or ability for an identified licensed teaching position in the district who satisfies the minimum requirements of R277-503-3.

(b) An employing school district, in consultation with the applicant and the USOE, shall identify Board-approved content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge examinations. The applicant shall pass designated examinations demonstrating the applicant's adequate preparation and readiness for licensing.

(c) The employing school district shall assign a trained mentor to work with the applicant for licensing by competency.

(d) The school district shall monitor and assess the license applicant's classroom performance during a minimum one-year full-time teaching experience.

(e) The school district shall assess the license applicant's disposition for teaching following a minimum one-year full-time teaching experience.

(f) The school district may request assistance in the monitoring or assessment of a license applicant's classroom performance or disposition for teaching.

(g) Following the one-year training period, the school district and USOE shall verify all aspects of preparation (content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, classroom performance skills, and disposition for teaching) to the USOE.

(h) If all evidence/documentation is complete, the USOE shall recommend the applicant for a Level 1 educator license.

(5) USOE ARL candidates under R277-503-4B(3) and (4) may teach under a letter of authorization for a maximum of one year. The letter of authorization shall expire after the first year on June 30 when the ARL candidate submits documentation of progress in the program, and the candidate shall be issued an ARL license.

(6) The ARL license may be extended annually for two subsequent school years with documentation of progress in the ARL program.

(7) Documentation shall include, specifically, a copy of the supervisor's successful end-of-year evaluation, copies of transcripts and test results or both showing completion of required coursework, verification of working with a trained mentor, and satisfaction of the full-time full year experience.

C. School district/charter school specific competency-based licenses:

(1) A local board/charter school board may apply to the Board for a [letter of authorization]school district/charter school specific license to fill a position in the school district/charter school. The application shall demonstrate that other licensing routes for the applicant are untenable or unreasonable.

(2) The employing school district/charter school shall request a [letter of authorization]school district/charter school specific license no later than 60 days after the date of the individual's first day of employment.

(3) The application for the [letter of authorization]school district/charter school specific license from the local board/charter school board for an individual to teach one or more core academic subjects shall provide documentation of:

(a) the individual's bachelors degree; and

(b) for a K-6 grade teacher, the satisfactory results of the rigorous state test including subject knowledge and teaching skills in the required core academic subjects under Section 53A-6-104.5(3)(ii) as approved by the Board; or

(c) for the teacher in grades 7-12, demonstration of a high level of competency in each of the core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches by completion of an academic major, a graduate degree, course work equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, advanced certification or credentialing, or results or scores of a rigorous state core academic subject test, similar to the test required under R277-503-3E, in each of the core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.

(4) The application for the [letter of authorization]school district/charter school specific license from the local board/charter school board for non-core teachers in grades K-12 shall provide documentation of:

(a) a bachelors degree, associates degree or skill certification; and

(b) skills, talents or abilities specific to the teaching assignment, as determined by the local board/charter school board.

(5) Following receipt of documentation and consistent with Section 53A-6-104.5(2), the USOE shall approve a district/charter school specific competency-based license.

(6) If an individual with a district/charter school specific competency-based license leaves the district before the end of the employment period, the district shall notify the USOE Licensing Section regarding the end-of-employment date.

(7) The individual's district/charter school specific competency-based license shall be valid only in the district/charter school that originally requested the letter of authorization and for the individual originally employed under the letter of authorization or district/charter school specific competency-based license.

(8) The written copy of the district/charter school specific competency-based license shall prominently state the name of the school district/charter school followed by DISTRICT/CHARTER SCHOOL SPECIFIC COMPETENCY-BASED LICENSE.

(9) A school district/charter school may change the assignment of a school district/charter school specific competency-based license holder but notice to USOE shall be required and additional competency-based documentation may be required for the teacher to remain qualified or highly qualified.

(10) School district/charter school specific competency-based license holders are at-will employees consistent with Section 53A-8-106(5).

(11) If an individual holds a Utah license, the application shall be subject to additional USOE review based upon the following criteria:

(a) license level;

(b) current license status;

(c) area of concentration and endorsements on Utah license; and

(d) circumstances justifying the school district/charter school specific license.

(12) If the application is not approved based on a USOE review of the criteria provided in R277-503-4C(11), appropriate licensure procedures shall be recommended to the requesting district/charter school. The applicant may be required to renew an expired license, apply for an endorsement, pass appropriate Board approved tests consistent with R277-503-3C, obtain an additional area of concentration, apply to Alternative Route to Licensure, or satisfy other reasonable standards.

 

KEY: teachers, alternative licensing

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [May 9, 2007]2009

Notice of Continuation: March 29, 2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-1-402(1)(a); 53A-1-401(3)