Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 5, February 29, 2024
(1)
Purpose of Class AA Programs for
Areas of Instructional Support Other than Instructional Leadership. The
purpose of a Class AA program shall be to prepare educators on the education
specialist level to serve effectively in instructional support 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 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.
(3)
Unconditional Admission to a Class
AA Program for Instructional Support Personnel Other than Class AA
Instructional Leadership.
(a)
Requirements for unconditional admission shall include:
1. A criminal history background check.
Additional information is provided in Rule
290-3-3-.02(6)(d).
2. A valid
master's-level professional educator certificate in the instructional support
field in which the Class AA Professional Educator Certificate is sought, except
for programs in school psychology as prescribed in Rule
290-3-3-.54(2).
3. At least two full years of full-time
acceptable P-12 professional educational work experience.
(b) 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. Individuals who hold an
out-of-state professional educator certificate from another state must meet all
requirements for the Class A Professional Educator Certificate, including
experience requirements described in the current Educator Certification Chapter
of the Alabama Administrative Code.
(c) 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.
(d) Requirements
for admission to a Class AA program in instructional leadership are in Rule
290-3-3-53.01(2).
(4)
Curriculum of a Class AA Program for Instructional Support
Personnel.
(a) Completion of a Class
AA program for instructional support personnel requires at least 30 semester
hours of graduate credit not used for prior-level certification 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 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.
(5)
Requirements for Class AA
Certification Other than Instructional Leadership. Readiness to serve in
an instructional support capacity at the Class AA level shall include:
(a) A valid Class A
Professional Educator Certificate in the instructional support field, except as
prescribed in Rule 290-3-3-.57(2)(a).
(b) An official transcript from a regionally
accredited institution documenting an earned education specialist
degree.
(c) Satisfactory completion
of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in all courses in the
approved program as verified on an official transcript. For candidates who meet
requirements for unconditional admission to a Class AA instructional support
program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, a minimum GPA of 3.50 on all courses used
to meet the requirements on the approved program checklist for the Alabama
State Board of Education approved instructional support program.
(6)
Testing for Class AA
Certification of Instructional Support Personnel. Applicants for initial
certification in an instructional support area through the completion of a
Class AA program 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).
Previous Rule.53 was renumbered.55 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.
