Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 290-3-2, Section 290-3-2-.06 - Provisional Certificate In A Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach | Alabama Administrative Code

(1) Overview. A superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ an individual may request a Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF). The individual must be employed full-time in a teaching field while completing the requirements of the PCTF-approach to earn a Class B Professional Educator Certificate in that teaching field. A PCTF is available for grades K-12 and 6-12 teaching fields as indicated on the current application form. This approach was previously named the Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate (ABC) Approach.

(2) General Information.

(a) An individual must complete three full years of full-time teaching experience in the teaching field while holding a valid PCTF and/or ABC in no more than two public school systems and/or nonpublic schools within the four scholastic years from the July 1 beginning date of the first PCTF or ABC.

(b) An individual must hold a valid certificate for all teaching fields to which he or she is assigned. An individual who holds only a valid PCTF must be assigned only to the teaching field for which the PCTF was issued. An individual who holds a valid PCTF and a valid certificate in another teaching field or area of instructional support must be assigned to the area of the PCTF for at least the majority of the day.

(c) The superintendent or administrator must monitor the applicant's compliance with the requirements of the PCTF approach.

(d) An individual who held the first Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate (ABC) valid for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, or 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the second and/or third PCTF in the same teaching field if all requirements have been met.

1. An individual who held the first ABC valid for the 2013-2014 scholastic year and the second ABC valid for the 2014-2015 or the 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the third PCTF valid for the 2016-2017 scholastic year.

2. An individual who held the first ABC valid for the 2014-2015 scholastic year and the second ABC valid for the 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the third PCTF valid for the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 scholastic year.

3. An individual who held the first ABC valid for the 2014-2015 scholastic year may be issued the second PCTF valid for the 2016-2017 scholastic year and the third PCTF valid for the 2017-2018 scholastic year.

4. An individual who held the first ABC valid for the 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the second PCTF valid for the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 scholastic year and the third PCTF valid for the 2017-2018 or 2018-2019 scholastic year.

(3) Grade Levels, Teaching Fields, and Resulting Professional Educator Certificates.

PCTF Grade Levels	K-12	6-12
PCTF Teaching Fields	a, b	a, c
Resulting Baccalaureate-Level Professional Educator Certificate	d	e

aFirst, second, and third PCTFs and/or ABCs must be issued in the same teaching field.

bLimited to choral or instrumental music, dance, languages other than English (as listed on the current application for this approach), theatre, and visual arts.

cLimited to the 6-12 teaching fields as listed on the current application for this approach.

dClass B Elementary-Secondary Professional Educator Certificate (Grades P-12).

eClass B Secondary Professional Educator Certificate (Grades 6-12).

(4) Limitations on Issuance.

(a) An individual who has earned credit in more than five professional education courses prior to seeking alternative certification through the PCTF approach may not be eligible for a first PCTF, to be determined on an individual basis. An individual who holds an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate or a professional educator certificate issued by another state may be exempt from this five course limit.

(b) The Department may refuse to issue a certificate for an individual who was enrolled in, but did not meet the requirements of, an educator preparation program.

(c) An individual may not be employed for more than three scholastic years on the basis of holding an Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate, a Career and Technical Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate, a Preliminary Certificate, a Preliminary Certificate Through Exception, a Special Alternative Certificate, a Provisional Certificate, an Interim Employment Certificate, a Business and Industry to Educational Administrator Certificate, an alternative-approach certificate issued by another state or issuing authority, or any combination thereof.

(d) A PCTF is only valid for employment with the public school system or nonpublic school to which the PCTF was issued.

(e) An individual who has not completed all requirements for the Class B Professional Educator Certificate through this approach by the expiration date of the third PCTF shall no longer be eligible for certification through the PCTF approach or any alternative certificate approach.

(f) An individual who earns a Professional Educator Certificate or a Professional Leadership Certificate in the area for which the alternative certificates were issued may be eligible to follow an alternative approach to earning a Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate in another area.

(5) First PCTF.

(a) Application.

1. The applicant is required to submit to the superintendent or administrator the current application for this approach and documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.06 and on the application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to teach full-time, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.06(2)(b), in the teaching field and at the grade level for which the PCTF is to be issued is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section:

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCTF is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b) Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first PCTF is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

2. Verification on an official transcript of at least an earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited senior institution. Verification on an official transcript of an earned master's or higher degree from a regionally accredited senior institution may also meet the degree requirement.

(i) The bachelor's degree must be posted with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 or the master's or higher degree must be posted with a minimum overall GPA of at least 3.0. For issuance of the first PCTF with a valid period beginning July 1, 2017, and thereafter, the bachelor's degree must be posted with a minimum overall GPA of at least 2.75 or the master's or higher degree must be posted with a minimum overall GPA of at least 3.0. The overall GPA is the GPA posted on the official transcript of the degree granting institution that was used as the basis for granting the degree.

(ii) The GPA requirement does not apply to an applicant holding a valid Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate.

3. Verification of current passing scores for the basic skills assessments of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). This requirement does not apply to an applicant holding a valid Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate. Additional information is in Rule 290-3-2-.02(9).

4. For teaching fields listed on the current application for this approach in which a Praxis II subject area test(s) is currently adopted and prescribed, verification of a current passing score on the prescribed Praxis II subject area test(s) of the AECAP. Additional information is in Rule 290-3-2-.02(9).

5. For teaching fields listed on the current application for this approach in which no Praxis II subject area test(s) is currently adopted and prescribed, verification that one of the following two options has been met:

(i) Verification on an official transcript from a regionally accredited senior institution of an academic major in the teaching field.

(ii) Verification on official transcript(s) from a regionally accredited institution of at least 32 semester hours of earned credit, including at least 19 semester hours of upper-division credit, appropriate to the teaching field.

6. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(6) Second PCTF.

(a) Application.

1. The applicant is required to submit to the superintendent or administrator the current application for this approach and documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.06 and on the application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to teach full-time, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.06(2)(b), in the teaching field and at the grade level for which the PCTF is to be issued is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section:

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCTF is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b) Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the second PCTF is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

2. Verification on Supplement EXP of a full year of full-time classroom teaching experience:

(i) In the teaching field and at the grade level for which the first PCTF was issued, while holding the first PCTF, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.06(2)(b); or

(ii) In the teaching field and at the grade level for which the first ABC was issued, while holding the first ABC valid for the 2014-2015 or 2015-2016 scholastic year, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.11(1)(e) of Supplement Number 10-4 of the Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code.

3. Verification on an official transcript(s) of credit earned for at least two of the four courses as required in Rule 290-3-2-.06(8) and on the current application for this approach. If an applicant holds a valid Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, the methods of teaching in the teaching field and at the grade levels for which certification is sought is the only course required for issuance of the second PCTF.

4. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(7) Third PCTF.

(a) Application.

1. The applicant is required to submit to the superintendent or administrator the current application for this approach and documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.06 and on the application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to teach full-time, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.06(2)(b), in the teaching field and at the grade level for which the PCTF is to be issued is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section:

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCTF is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b) Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the third PCTF is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

2. Verification on Supplement EXP of a full year of full-time classroom teaching experience:

(i) In the teaching field and at the grade level for which the second PCTF was issued, while holding the second PCTF, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.06(2) (b); or

(ii) In the teaching field and at the grade level for which the second ABC was issued, while holding the second ABC valid for the 2014-2015 or 2015-2016 scholastic year, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.11(1)(e) of Supplement Number 10-4 of the Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code.

3. Verification on an official transcript(s) of credit earned for the remaining two of the four courses as required in Rule 290-3-2-.06(8) and on the current application for this approach. If an applicant holds a valid Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, the methods of teaching in the teaching field and at the grade levels for which certification is sought is the only course required for issuance of the third PCTF.

4. Verification of a current passing score attained on the prescribed Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching Test (PLT) of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). This requirement does not apply to an applicant holding a valid Professional Educator Certificate or a valid Professional Leadership Certificate. Additional information is in Rule 290-3-2-.02(9).

5. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(8) Course Requirements. An applicant pursuing certification through the PCTF approach must earn credit for the required coursework prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the second and third PCTFs are to be issued.

(a) Coursework must be completed at an Alabama regionally accredited senior institution with State-approved programs and include each of the following areas:

1. Classroom management;

2. Evaluation of teaching and learning;

3. Methods of teaching in the teaching field and at the grade levels for which certification is sought; and

4. Strategies for teaching special needs students in inclusive settings.

(b) If an applicant for the second PCTF holds a valid Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, the methods of teaching in the teaching field and at the grade levels for which certification is sought is the only course required for issuance of the second PCTF.

(c) If an applicant for the third PCTF holds a valid Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, the methods of teaching in the teaching field and at the grade levels for which certification is sought is the only course required for issuance of the third PCTF.

(d) Coursework must be completed with a grade of "C" or above.

(e) Each course must be from the approved listings available at www.alsde.edu/EdCert and must have been on the approved listing at the time the course was taken.

(f) Coursework applied for completion of the ABC approach cannot later be applied to meet coursework requirements for a State-approved program at a higher degree level in any area.

(9) Degree Level. The Provisional Certificates issued through this approach shall be issued only at the bachelor's degree level.

(10) Valid Period. The certificate shall be valid for one scholastic year (July 1 to June 30).

(11) Professional Educator Certification. The applicant must apply for the Class B Professional Educator Certificate. Information pertaining to this approach may be found in Rule 290-3-2-.08.

Alabama Administrative CodeTitle 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONChapter 290-3-2 - EDUCATOR CERTIFICATIONSection 290-3-2-.06 - Provisional Certificate In A Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach

Alabama Administrative Code
Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chapter 290-3-2 - EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION
Section 290-3-2-.06 - Provisional Certificate In A Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach