Alabama Administrative Code
Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chapter 290-3-3 - TEACHER EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Section 290-3-3-.46 - Class A (Master's Degree Level) Programs For Areas Of Instructional Support Personnel Except Speech-Language Pathology And Instructional Leadership

Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 290-3-3-.46

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024

(1) Purpose of Class A Programs for Areas of Instructional Support. The purpose of a Class A program shall be to prepare educators to serve effectively in instructional support positions. Information specific to instructional leadership programs is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.47. Information specific to speech-language pathology is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.51.

(2) Standards Applicable to Class A Instructional Support Programs for EPPs with On-Site Visits Scheduled Fall 2021 and Thereafter. The following standards are based on the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards for Advanced Programs and are applicable to all teaching fields and areas of instructional support.

(a) Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. The provider ensures that candidates for professional specialties develop a deep understanding of the critical concepts and principles of their field of preparation and, by program completion, are able to use professional specialty practices flexibly to advance the learning of all P-12 students toward attainment of Alabama's college-and career ready standards.
1. Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions. Candidates for advanced preparation demonstrate their proficiencies to understand and apply knowledge and skills appropriate to their professional field of specialization so that learning and development opportunities for all P-12 are enhanced, through:
(i) Applications of data literacy;

(ii) Use of research and understanding of qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed methods research methodologies;

(iii) Employment of data analysis and evidence to develop supportive school environments;

(iv) Leading and/or participating in collaborative activities with others such as peers, colleagues, teachers, administrators, community organizations, and parents;

(v) Supporting appropriate applications of technology for their field of specialization; and

(vi) Application of professional dispositions, laws and policies, codes of ethics and professional standards appropriate to their field of specialization.

2. Provider Responsibilities. Providers ensure that advanced program completers have opportunities to learn and apply specialized content and discipline knowledge contained in National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or national discipline-specific standards.

(b) Clinical Partnerships and Practice. The provider ensures that effective partnerships and high-quality clinical practice are central to preparation so that candidates develop the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions appropriate for their professional specialty field.
1. Partnerships for Clinical Preparation. Partners co-construct mutually beneficial P-12 school and community arrangements, including technology-based collaborations, for clinical preparation and share responsibility for continuous improvement of advance program candidate preparation. Partnerships for clinical preparation can follow a range of forms, participants, and functions. They establish mutually agreeable expectations for advanced program candidate entry, preparation, and exit; ensure that theory and practice are linked; maintain coherence across clinical and academic components of preparation; and share accountability for advanced candidate outcomes.

2. Clinical Experiences. The provider works with partners to design varied and developmental clinical experiences that allow opportunities for candidates to practice applications of content knowledge and skills that the courses and other experiences of the advanced preparation program emphasize. The opportunities lead to appropriate culminating experiences in which candidates demonstrate their proficiencies, through problem-based tasks or research (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, action) that are characteristic of their professional specialization as detailed in Rule 290-3-3-.41(4)(a)1. (i) -(vi).

(c) Candidate Quality and Selectivity. The provider demonstrates that the quality of advanced program candidates is a continuing and purposeful part of its responsibility so that completers are prepared to perform effectively and can be recommended for certification.
1. Admission of Diverse Candidates Who Meet Employment Needs. The provider sets goals and monitors progress for admission and support of high-quality advanced program candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and diverse populations to accomplish the provider's mission. The admitted pool of candidates reflects the diversity of Alabama's teacher pool, and over time, should reflect the diversity of Alabama's P-12 students. The provider demonstrates efforts to know and address local and state needs for school and district staff prepared in advanced fields.

2. Candidates Demonstrate Academic Achievement and Ability to Complete Preparation Successfully. The provider set admissions requirements for academic achievement and gathers data to monitor candidates from admission to completion. The provider continuously monitors disaggregated evidence of academic quality, mode of delivery, and individual preparation programs, identifying differences, trends and patterns that should be addressed. Each applicant for admission to a traditional master's level (Class A) program must provide evidence of having earned a degree grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50 printed on the transcript of the degree-granting college or university that was regionally accredited when the degree was earned. In addition, the cohort GPA must be at least 3.0. [See Rule 290-3-3-.01(10).]

3. Selectivity During Preparation. The provider creates criteria for program progression and uses disaggregated data to monitor candidates' advancement from admission through completion.

4. Selection at Completion. Before the provider recommends any advanced program candidate for completion, the provider documents that the candidate has reached a high standard for content knowledge in the field of specialization, data literacy and research-driven decision making, effective use of collaborative skills, applications of technology, and applications of dispositions, laws, codes of ethics and professional standards appropriate for the field of specialization.

(d) Program Impact. The provider documents the satisfaction of its completers from advanced preparation programs and their employers with the relevance and effectiveness of their preparation.
1. Satisfaction of Employers. The provider demonstrates that employers are satisfied with the completers' preparation and that completers reach employment milestones such as promotions and retention.

2. Satisfaction of Completers. The provider demonstrates that advanced program completers perceive their preparation as relevant to the responsibilities they confront on the job, and that preparation was effective.

(e) Provider Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement. The provider maintains a quality assurance system comprised of valid data from multiple measures, including evidence of candidates' and completers' positive impact on P-12 student learning and development. The provider supports continuous improvement that is sustained and evidence-based, and that evaluates the effectiveness of its completers. The provider uses the results of inquiry and data collection to establish priorities, enhance program elements and capacity, and test innovations to improve completers' impact on P-12 student leaning and development.
1. Quality and Strategic Evaluation. The provider's quality assurance system is comprised of multiple measures that can monitor candidate progress, completer achievements, and provider operational effectiveness.
(i) The provider's quality assurance system relies on relevant, verifiable, representative, cumulative and actionable measures, and produces empirical evidence that interpretations of data are valid and consistent.

2. Continuous Improvement.
(i) The provider regularly and systematically assesses performance against its goals and relevant standards, tracks results over time, tests innovations and the effects of selection criteria on subsequent progress and completion and uses results to improve program elements and processes.

(ii) Measures of completer impact, including available outcome data on P-12 student growth, are summarized, externally benchmarked, analyzed, shared widely, and acted upon in decision-making related to programs, resource allocation, and future excellence.

(iii) The provider assures that appropriate stakeholders, including alumni, employers, practitioners, school and community partners, and others defined by the provider, are involved in program evaluation, improvement, and identification of models of excellence.

(3) Other Institutional and Program Requirements.

(a) The provision of Class A programs shall be limited to institutions that meet the standards for accreditation at the master's degree or higher level by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

(b) Institutions must have and enforce policies that preclude a candidate who took a course for undergraduate credit from taking the same course for graduate credit.

(c) Completion of a Class A program for an area of instructional support requires at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit not used for prior-level certification or degree in any teaching field or area of instructional support.

(4) Unconditional Admission to Class A Programs for Areas of Instructional Support Personnel Other than Speech-Language Pathology and Instructional Leadership.

(a) Each institution shall establish and enforce a policy that specifies when the candidate must meet criteria for unconditional admission to the program. Admission to the graduate school is not equivalent to unconditional admission to an approved program.

(b) A criminal history background check. Additional information is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.03(6)(d).

(c) Experience. Effective July 1, 2017, two full years of full-time, acceptable professional educational work experience. Effective July 1, 2019, two full years of full-time, acceptable P-12 professional educational work experience. See Definition (18).

(d) Admission to programs in library media, school counseling, school psychometry, and sport management:
1. A valid bachelor's-level or valid master's-level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or a valid master's-level certificate in another area of instructional support. OR

2. If an individual is unconditionally admitted to an Alabama Class A program based on a valid bachelor's- or valid master's-level professional educator certificate from another state, completes a Class A program, and subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class A level, then the individual must hold at least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate before applying for Class A certification.

(5) Program Curriculum.

(a) Completion of a Class A program for instructional support personnel requires at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit not used for prior-level certification or degree in any teaching field or area of instructional support.

(b) A survey of special education course is required unless that course was taken for prior level certification. [See Rule 290-3-3-.01(51).] An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to the semester when the individual met requirements for unconditional admission to a Class A program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, must take a course focused primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement for one level of certification may not be used to meet the requirement for a higher level of certification.

(6) Requirements for Certification for Class A Instructional Support Personnel Other than Speech-Language Pathology and Instructional Leadership. Readiness to serve in an instructional support capacity shall include:

(a) An official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting an earned master's degree.

(b) Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved program for instructional support personnel. For candidates unconditionally admitted to a Class A instructional support program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, a minimum GPA of 3.25 on all courses used to meet the requirements on the approved program checklist for the Alabama State Board of Education approved instructional support program.

(c) Satisfactory completion of an internship. For fields other than instructional leadership, speech pathology, and school counseling, internship experiences may be integrated throughout the program.

(d) Except for Speech-Language Pathology, at least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, or a Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or in another area of instructional support, or a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate.

(7) Testing for Class A Certification for Instructional Support Personnel. Applicants for initial Class A certification in an instructional support area must meet the Praxis requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification. Additional information is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.01(3).

(8) Interim Employment Certificate. An Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) allows a superintendent or administrator to employ an applicant who is completing requirements for Class A certification in library media, school counseling, or instructional leadership through a State-approved Class A program at an Alabama institution. Additional Information is provided in the Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code. An Interim Employment Certificate is not issued for school psychometry or sport management.

Previous Rule.47 was renumbered.46 per certification published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021.

Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-3-16, 16-23-14.

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