R277-518. Career and Technical Education Licenses, R277. Education, Administration, Utah Administrative Code

Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019)

R277-518. Career and Technical Education Licenses

R277-518-1. Authority and Purpose

Latest version.

A. This rule is authorized by Utah Constitution, Article X, Section 3 which vests general control and supervision of public education in the Board, Section 53E-6-201 which permits the Board to issue licenses for educators, and Subsection 53E-3-401(3) which allows the Board to adopt rules in accordance with its responsibilities.

B. The purpose of this rule is to specify standards for a CTE license area and endorsements. An appropriate CTE or secondary license area and appropriate endorsement(s) are required for all persons teaching CTE programs at the secondary and adult level where high school credit is earned. Specific to adult education, an appropriate CTE, elementary or secondary license area is required for all persons awarding adult education high school completion credits in multiple subjects consistent with R277-733-4L.

R277-518-2. Definitions

Latest version.

A. "Adult education" means organized and structured programs or competencies which directly or indirectly prepare students for post-secondary or training opportunities, and/or entering and retaining employment opportunities. Adult education programs provide qualifying out-of-school youth and adult students with literacy skills below the collegiate/post-secondary level with a continuous education system, driven by a student education occupational plan (SEOP), through competency-based instruction, with opportunities to improve their basic literacy levels, English as a second language skills, or high school level of education consistent with R277-733.

B. "ARL Program" means the alternative licensing route as provided in R277-503-4, administered by USOE.

C. "Board" means the Utah State Board of Education.

D. "Career and technical education (CTE)" means organized educational programs or competencies which directly or indirectly prepare students for employment, or for additional preparation leading to employment, in occupations where entry requirements do not generally require a baccalaureate or advanced degree. CTE programs provide all students a continuous education system, driven by a student education occupational plan (SEOP), through competency-based instruction, culminating in essential life skills, certified occupational skills, and meaningful employment. Categories include agriculture; business; family and consumer sciences; health science; information technology; marketing; skilled and technical sciences; technology and engineering education; and work-based learning, consistent with R277-916.

E. "CTE Alternative Preparation Program (APP) license area of concentration (license area)" means the provisional license area of concentration issued prior to March 1, 2014 by the Board for a three year period which enables the holder to teach only in a specific CTE or technical field, or adult education in the public school system and may require educational coursework.

F. "Level 1 license" means a Utah professional educator license issued upon completion of an approved preparation program or an alternative preparation program, or pursuant to an agreement under the NASDTEC Interstate Contract, to applicants who have also met all ancillary requirements established by law or rule.

G. "Level 2 license" means a Utah professional educator license issued by the Board after satisfaction of all requirements for a Level 1 license and:

(1) satisfaction of requirements under R277-522 for teachers whose employment as a Level 1 licensed educator began after January 1, 2003 in a Utah public LEA or accredited private school;

(2) at least three years of successful education experience in a Utah public LEA or accredited private school or one year of successful education experience in a Utah public LEA or accredited private school and at least three years of successful education experience in a public LEA or accredited private school outside of Utah;

(3) additional requirements established by law or rule.

H. "Level 3 license" means a Utah professional educator license issued to an educator who holds a current Utah Level 2 license and has also received National Board Certification or a doctorate in education or in a field related to a content area in a unit of the public education system or an accredited private school, or holds a Speech-Language Pathology area of concentration and has obtained American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) certification.

I. "A license area of concentration (license area)" is obtained by completing an approved preparation program or an alternative preparation program in a specific area of educational studies such as Early Childhood (K-3), Elementary 1-8, Middle (5-9) (still valid, but not issued after 1988), Secondary (6-12), Administrative/Supervisory, CTE, School Counselor, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, Special Education (K-12), Preschool Special Education (Birth-Age 5), Communication Disorders. License areas of concentration may also bear endorsements relating to subjects or specific assignments.

J. "USOE" means the Utah State Office of Education.

R277-518-3. CTE License Required

Latest version.

A CTE or secondary license area with appropriate endorsements is required for all persons teaching CTE programs at the secondary and adult level where high school credit is earned.

R277-518-4. Career and Technical Education License Area Eligibility

Latest version.

A. To be eligible to earn a CTE license area through the ARL Program, an applicant shall:

(1) have six years of documented, related occupational experience within the 10 years prior to the Program application in any of the following CTE license areas:

(a) family and consumer sciences;

(b) health sciences;

(d) skilled and technical sciences; or

(e) work-based learning; and

(2) have documentation:

(a) of an offer of a teaching assignment in a Utah public or accredited private school;

(b) that is directly related to the applicant's occupational experience; and

B. Periods of employment lasting less than one month and periods of employment prior to 18 years of age are not accepted for purposes of calculating the occupational experience requirement.

C. An associate's degree in a related area may be counted for up to two years of occupational experience to satisfy the requirement in R277-518-4A(1).

D. An applicant for a CTE license area is not required to have a bachelor's degree.

E. State-approved testing:

The occupational experience requirement may be waived by the appropriate USOE Program Specialist or Coordinator if the applicant has passed a state-approved competency examination in the respective field at or above the USOE established cut-off scores. Individual applicant scores may be used for licensing purposes up to five years after completion of the respective examination(s).

F. In addition to meeting the requirements of R277-518-4A(1), an ARL Program applicant for a CTE license area shall:

(1) meet all endorsement specific standards established by the USOE; and

(2) hold the applicable license issued by the Utah State Department of Commerce, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing in any area where such licensure or certification exists.

G. An applicant for a CTE license area shall complete pedagogical coursework or satisfy pedagogical standards consistent with R277-503-4. An ARL Program applicant for a CTE license area shall provide evidence of mastery of the following areas of pedagogy:

(1) instruction, technology, assessment, and planning;

(2) creation of a learning environment;

(3) basic special education/IDEA requirements;

(4) teaching diverse populations; and

(5) literacy strategies in content areas.

H. An applicant for a CTE license area shall provide documentation of participation in transition to teaching orientation and participation in the CTE New Teacher Academy.

I. An ARL Program applicant for a CTE license area with an adult education endorsement is restricted to employment in an accredited adult education program.

R277-518-5. Career and Technical Education Speciality License Area

Latest version.

A. If an ARL Program applicant is teaching one CTE course and is employed for less than 0.37 FTE in relation to the respective school schedule, the ARL Program applicant may earn a CTE Specialist license area with one year of teaching experience and the recommendation of the employing LEA, in lieu of the CTE license area provided in R277-518-4, in the following endorsement areas:

(1) Adult Education;

(2) Exercise Science/Sports Medicine;

(3) Pharmacy Technician;

(4) Fire Science;

(5) Law Enforcement;

(6) Nurse Assistant; and

(7) Additional areas as approved by USOE in which professionals are required to meet licensure requirements outside of educator licensure.

B. The ARL Program applicant shall:

(1) have had regular employment in the CTE license area in which he is assigned to teach;

(2) have had one year of public school teaching experience; and

(3) have the recommendation of the employing LEA.

C. A CTE specialty license area ARL applicant is not required to pay the ARL professional growth plan fee. These applicants shall not receive ongoing monitoring or program completion support from the USOE ARL office beyond the request for licensure recommendation at the completion of one year of teaching.

D. A CTE specialty license area is only valid for employment in the areas listed in R277-518-5A as long as the holder is teaching one CTE course and is employed for less than 0.37 FTE.

E. An individual holding a CTE Specialist license area may be upgraded to a regular CTE license area or Secondary (6-12) license area upon payment of the additional license area recommendation fee, the completion of the requirements of R277-518-4F, and the recommendation of the employing LEA.

F. An individual with a CTE specialist Level 1 license area shall continue as a Level 1 license holder indefinitely despite the Level 1 limitations in R277-502-4A(6), but shall satisfy the requirements of Section 53E-6-401 and a subsequent review prior to classroom employment, consistent with LEA employment policies.