No. 28590 (Amendment): R277-503. Licensing Routes

DAR File No.: 28590
Filed: 03/31/2006, 02:11
Received by: NL

 

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This rule is amended to provide for the requirement that licensing applicants have passing scores on Board-designated licensing tests. When the rule was originally written, passing scores had not yet been established. The amendment also adds a provision for applicants to have a three-year period to earn a passing score on the designated test.

 

Summary of the rule or change:

The amendments require passing scores for licensing applicants on Board-designated content tests. They also allow applicants a three-year period to earn passing scores on required tests.

 

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

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

 

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are not any costs related to the amendments that would be borne by the licensing applicants or their employers (school districts or charter schools).

 

local governments:

Licensing applicants have been required to take content tests previously. Costs are negotiated between employers and licensing applicants. There are no new costs due to these amendments.

 

other persons:

Licensing applicants have been required to take content tests previously. Costs are negotiated between employers and licensing applicants. There are no new costs for licensing applicants due to these amendments.

 

Compliance costs for affected persons:

The are no compliance costs for affected persons due to these amendments. Licensing applicants have been required to take content tests previously. Costs are negotiated between employers and licensing applicants.

 

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 [e-mail]

 

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:

05/15/2006

 

This rule may become effective on:

05/16/2006

 

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

 

 

RULE TEXT

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-503. Licensing Routes.

R277-503-3. USOE Licensing Eligibility.

A. Traditional college/university license - A license applicant shall have completed an approved college/university teacher preparation program, been recommended for licensing, and shall have satisfied all other requirements for educator licensing required by law; or

B. Alternative Licensing Route

(1) A license applicant shall have a bachelors degree or higher from an accredited higher education institution in an area related to the position he seeks; and

(2) A license applicant shall have skills, talents or abilities, as evaluated by the employing entity, making the applicant appropriate for a licensed teaching position and eligible to participate in an ARL program.

(3) While beginning an alternative licensing program, an applicant shall be approved for employment under a letter of authorization for a maximum of one school year and may be employed under an ARL license for an additional two years. An ARL program may not exceed three school years. ARL candidates who receive ARL licensure status may be designated highly qualified under R277-520-1G.

C. All [Level 1 ]license applicants seeking a Utah educator license or endorsement after July 1, 200[5]6 shall [take]submit passing score(s) on a [USOE]rigorous Board-designated content test prior to the issuance of a license or endorsement.

(1) Early childhood (K-3) and elementary majors (1-8) are required to [take the appropriate]submit a passing score from a rigorous Board-designated content test.

(2) Secondary teachers are required to [take an appropriate]submit passing scores on a rigorous Board-designated content test(s), [as designated by USOE]where test(s) are available, for each endorsement area to be posted on the license.

(3) An applicant shall [qualify for a Level 2 license by earning a ]submit electronic or original documentation of USOE-designated passing score(s).

D. For any educator who submits a score below the final Utah state score on the test designated in R277-503-3C, a nonrenewable conditional Level 1 license shall be issued. If the educator fails to submit a passing score on a rigorous Board-designated content test during the three-year duration of the conditional Level 1 license, the educator's license or endorsement shall lapse on the educator's renewal date.

[D]E. The credentials and documentation of experience of applicants for Level 2 and 3 professional educator licenses shall be evaluated by the USOE to determine the appropriate license level.

 

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 the ETS Praxis II Applicable Content Knowledge test(s) 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 [USOE]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) The employing school district shall assign a trained mentor to work with the applicant for licensing by agreement.

(f) 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) 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) 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) 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 to fill a position in the district.

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

(3) The application for the letter of authorization 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, 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 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).

 

KEY: teachers, alternative licensing

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [August 17, 2004]2006

Notice of Continuation: April 15, 2002

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