Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
Overview. An individual who holds a valid professional educator
certificate issued by another state, the District of Columbia, a U.S.
Territory, or the Department of Defense Education Activity (henceforth in this
Rule referred to as "another state") may seek an Alabama Professional Educator
Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate. This approach is commonly
referred to as Certificate Reciprocity.
(2) Limitations on Issuance.
(a) An individual may be eligible for Alabama
certification only if the professional educator certificate issued by another
state is in an area, at a grade level, and at degree level in which Alabama
offers comparable certification.
(b) Alabama does not offer certification
based on "in-field" or "supplemental" or "endorsement" areas which are
contingent upon the individual holding other professional educator
certificates.
(c) Speech-Language
Pathology certification is not available through this approach.
(d) The issuance of Professional Educator
Certificates in areas of instructional support and Professional Leadership
Certificates require verification of prior professional educational work
experience in a P-12 setting. Additional information is in Rule
290-3-2-.03.
(e) Certification will not be considered if
Alabama no longer offers certification at the degree level of the professional
educator certificate issued by another state. An individual may be eligible for
Alabama certification in an area in which Alabama does not currently offer, but
has previously offered, certification.
(f) Alabama does not offer certification at
the doctoral level.
(3)
Degree Requirements. Degrees applied to meet certification
requirements must be from regionally accredited senior institutions, except as
noted in Rule
290-3-2-.02(7).
(a) For teaching fields, verification on an
official transcript(s) of an earned bachelor's or higher degree.
(b) For areas of instructional support,
verification on an official transcript(s) of an earned master's or higher
degree.
(4)
Application. The applicant is required to submit to the Educator
Certification Section the current application for this approach and
documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.20 and on the application.
(5)
Requirements for Teaching Fields. All requirements must be
successfully completed prior to the date the application is received in the
Educator Certification Section.
(a)
Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule
290-3-2-.02(4).
(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of
all degrees earned.
(c) Successful
completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).
(d) Verification of the applicant's valid
professional educator certificate in a teaching field shall be based on
submission of
one of the following:
1. The original professional educator
certificate issued by another state.
2. Supplement CER completed by the
certificate issuing authority.
(e) The completion of a graduate-level
(master's degree level or higher) state-approved P-12 educator preparation
program may be verified on Form VER for consideration of advancing the degree
level of the Alabama certificate offered to an applicant whose valid
professional educator certificate issued by another state reflects an area of
comparable certification, but does not reflect a degree level.
1. The program must require at least 30
semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the
teaching field at the degree level of the program. However, if by institutional
policy a major in the teaching field is not posted, verification of having
earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in the teaching field is
required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for
internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must
have been earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been
applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.
(6)
Requirements
for Instructional Support Areas other than Areas of Administration or
Supervision. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to
the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.
(a) Successful completion of the Alabama
Special Requirements in Rule
290-3-2-.02(4).
(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of
all degrees earned.
(c) Successful
completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).
(d) Verification of the applicant's valid
graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or
doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an instructional support
area other than administration or supervision shall be based on submission of
one of the following:
1. The original professional educator
certificate issued by another state.
2. Supplement CER completed by the
certificate issuing authority.
(e) The completion of a graduate-level
(master's degree level or higher) state-approved P-12 educator preparation
program may be verified on Form VER for consideration of advancing the degree
level of the Alabama certificate offered to an applicant whose valid
professional educator certificate issued by another state reflects an area of
comparable certification, but does not reflect a degree level.
1. The program must require at least 30
semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the
area of instructional support at the degree level of the program. However, if
by institutional policy a major in the area of instructional support is not
posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate
credit in the area of instructional support is required. The 12 semester hours
of graduate credit may not include credit for internship, practicum, student
teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the
date of program completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance
of an Alabama certificate in any area.
(f) Verification of at least two full years
of full-time, professional educational work experience in a P-12 school
system(s). Professional educational work experience in increments of less than
one semester will not apply toward the calculation of two full years.
Experience must be verified on Supplement EXP.
(7)
Requirements for Areas of
Educational Administration. All requirements must be successfully
completed prior to the date the application is received in the Educator
Certification Section.
(a) Successful
completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule
290-3-2-.02(4).
(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of
all degrees earned.
(c) Successful
completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).
(d) Verification of the applicant's valid
graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or
doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an area of educational
administration shall be based on submission of
one of
the following:
1. The original professional
educator certificate issued by another state.
2. Supplement CER completed by the
certificate issuing authority.
(e) The completion of a graduate-level
(master's degree level or higher) state-approved P-12 educator preparation
program may be verified on Form VER for consideration of advancing the degree
level of the Alabama certificate offered to an applicant whose valid
professional educator certificate issued by another state reflects an area of
comparable certification, but does not reflect a degree level.
1. The program must require at least 30
semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the
area of educational administration at the degree level of the program. However,
if by institutional policy a major in the area of educational administration is
not posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of
graduate credit in the area of educational administration is required. The 12
semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for internship,
practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been
earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been applied
to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.
(f) Verification of at least three
full years of full-time professional educational work experience in a P-12
school system(s) which must include at least one full year of full-time
classroom teaching experience. Professional educational work experience in
increments of less than one semester will not apply toward the calculation of
three full years. Experience must be verified on Supplement EXP.
(g) Certification in the area of
Instructional Leadership will not be issued through this approach.
(8)
Requirements for Areas
of Supervision. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to
the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.
(a) Successful completion of the Alabama
Special Requirements in Rule
290-3-2-.02(4).
(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of
all degrees earned.
(c) Successful
completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).
(d) Verification of the applicant's valid
graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or
doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an area of supervision
shall be based on submission of
one of the following:
1. The original professional educator
certificate issued by another state.
2. Supplement CER completed by the
certificate issuing authority.
(e) The completion of a graduate-level
(master's degree level or higher) state-approved P-12 educator preparation
program may be verified on Form VER for consideration of advancing the degree
level of the Alabama certificate offered to an applicant whose valid
professional educator certificate issued by another state reflects an area of
comparable certification, but does not reflect a degree level.
1. The program must require at least 30
semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the
area of supervision at the degree level of the program. However, if by
institutional policy a major in the area of supervision is not posted,
verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in
the area of supervision is required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit
may not include credit for internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab
experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the date of program
completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama
certificate in any area.
(f) Verification of at least three full years
of full-time professional educational work experience in a P-12 school
system(s) which must include at least one full year of full-time classroom
teaching experience. Professional educational work experience in increments of
less than one semester will not apply toward the calculation of three full
years. Experience must be verified on Supplement EXP.
(9)
Alabama Educator Certification
Assessment Program (AECAP). The applicant must meet the requirements of
the AECAP for this approach.
(10)
Degree Level. The Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership
Certificate issued through this approach shall be issued at the degree level of
the professional educator certificate issued by another state or at a degree
level based on Supplement VER.
(11)
Valid Period. The valid period of the certificate shall be from
the date of issuance through the remainder of the same scholastic year, and
thereafter, for the next five consecutive scholastic years.
Author: Dr. Thomas R. Bice
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, Ala. Const. Amend. 284, §§
16-3-11,
16-23-1,
16-23-2.
