Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
Purposes
of Class AA Programs for Teaching Fields. The purposes of a Class AA
program shall be to prepare educators on the education specialist level to
serve effectively in teaching positions. Persons who complete Class AA programs
shall have acquired knowledge and skill above the level required for completion
of a Class A program. Class AA programs must meet Advanced CAEP standards.
(2)
Institutional and
Program Requirements.
(a) The provision
of Class AA programs shall be limited to institutions that meet the standards
for accreditation at the education specialist'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 master's degree credit
from taking the same course for education specialist's degree credit.
(c) Completion of a Class AA program for a
teaching field 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.
(3)
Unconditional Admission to a Class
AA Program for Teaching Fields. 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.
Requirements for unconditional admission shall include:
(a) A criminal history background check.
Additional information is provided in Rule
290-3-3-.03(6)(d).
(b) A
valid
master's-level professional educator certificate in the same teaching field(s)
in which the Class AA Professional Educator Certificate is sought, except as
prescribed below:
1. Special circumstances:
(i) A teacher with a
valid bachelor's-level professional educator
certificate in early childhood education and a valid
master's-level professional educator certificate in reading may be
unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in early childhood education. A
teacher with a valid bachelor's-level professional
educator certificate in elementary education and a
valid master's-level professional educator certificate
in reading may be unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in elementary
education.
(ii) A teacher with a
valid bachelor's-level professional educator
certificate in any teaching field and a valid
master's-level professional educator certificate in English for speakers of
other languages may be unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in the
same teaching field for which the teacher holds a valid bachelor's level
professional educator certificate.
(iii) A teacher with a
valid bachelor's-level professional educator
certificate in English language arts and a valid
master's-level professional educator certificate in reading may be
unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in English language
arts.
(iv) A teacher with a
valid master's level professional educator certificate
in a teaching field may be unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in
special education or English for Speakers of Other Languages.
2. If an individual is
unconditionally admitted to an Alabama Class AA program based on a
valid master's-level professional educator certificate
from another state, completes a Class AA program, and subsequently applies for
Alabama certification at the Class AA level, then the individual must hold at
least a valid Class A Professional Educator
Certificate before applying for Class AA certification.
(4)
Curriculum of Class AA
Programs for Teaching Fields. The curriculum shall be in work approved
by the graduate school or division of the institution as meeting its standards
of quality for study at the education specialist level.
(a) A Class AA program for a teaching field
must require 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.
1. At least one-third
of the program shall consist of teaching field courses.
2. English language arts, general science,
and general social studies programs shall require at least one course in two
areas within the broader field.
(b) Institutions must have and enforce
policies that preclude a candidate who took a course for credit in a Class A
program from taking the same course for credit in a Class AA program.
(5)
Requirements for Class
AA Certification in aTeaching Field.
(a) A valid Class A
Professional Educator Certificate in the same teaching field(s) which was used
as a basis for admission to the Class AA program, as provided for in Rule
290-3-3-.53(3)(b)1. (i) -(iv) or for teacher leader as provided in Rule
290-3-3-.54(2)(a)1.
(b) An official transcript from a
regionally accredited institution documenting an earned education specialist
degree.
(c) 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 AA 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.
(d)
Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25
on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved educator
preparation program as verified on an official transcript. For candidates who
meet requirements for unconditional admission to a Class AA educator
preparation program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, satisfactory completion of a
State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.50 on all courses in the Alabama
State Board of Education approved educator preparation program.
(e) Successful completion of a practicum
shall be required for initial certification in a special education teaching
field. For programs that meet rules for Grades K-6 and 6-12 or Grades P-12, the
practicum must include both elementary and secondary placements.
(6)
Testing for Class AA
Certification for a Teaching Field. At the present time, there is no
testing requirement for Class AA certification for teachers except for teachers
who earn initial Class AA certification in a special education teaching field.
Such teachers 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).
(7)
Interim Employment
Certificate. An Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) allows a
superintendent or administrator to employ an applicant who is completing
requirements for initial Class AA certification in a special education teaching
field through a State-approved Class AA program at an Alabama institution.
Additional information, including requirements and restrictions, is provided in
the current Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama
Administrative Code.
Previous Rule.52 was renumbered.53 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,
16-39-5.
