(a) The commissioner may issue a limited
career or technical education certificate (Type M), valid for five years, in a
specialty area of a career or technical education course if the commissioner
determines that
(1) baccalaureate degree
teacher training in the specialty is not sufficiently available;
(2) the applicant has demonstrated subject
matter expertise in the specialty, as verified by the local school
district;
(3) the school board for
the district in which the applicant will be employed, through its chief school
administrator, has requested issuance of a limited career or technical
education certificate for the applicant;
(4) the applicant has successfully passed the
criminal history background check in the same manner as a teacher certified
under
AS
14.20.020 and
4
AAC 12.300; unless the applicant has successfully
passed a criminal history background check to obtain, reinstate, or renew a
current teacher certificate in this state, the applicant must submit to the
commissioner
(A) one completed fingerprint
card, with fingerprinting performed by a law enforcement agency or a person who
has been trained in recording fingerprints, for separate submittal to the
Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the
department will accept a name-based criminal history background check on an
applicant from the agency performing the background check if the requirements
of
AS
14.20.020(j) are met;
and
(B) the fee for the criminal
history background check in the amount charged by the Department of Public
Safety as set out in
13 AAC 68.900; and
(5) the applicant has met the
requirements of 4 AAC 12.397(a).
(b) To demonstrate the subject matter
competency in the career or technical specialty required under (a) of this
section, the applicant must
(1) submit two
letters of recommendation verifying the applicant's length of experience and
competency in the specialty; and
(2) possess an industry certification in the
career or technical specialty, or have completed four or more years of
full-time work experience in the specialty, for which not more than two years
of formal training at a trade school, technical institute, or similar
institution may be substituted; in this paragraph, "industry certification"
means a credential, license, or certification that permits a person to work in
the career or technical specialty.
(d) A limited career or technical education
certificate issued under (a) of this section may be renewed any number of times
for five years upon submission to the department of
(1) evidence of satisfactory completion of
(A) three semester hours of credit related to
the applicant's employment or a career and technical education specialty
approved by the school district; and
(B) 135 hours of work experience in the
specialty outside of work with students;
(2) evidence of satisfactory teaching
performance under the limited certificate; and
(3) a request for renewal from the school
board of the district in which the certificate holder is employed.
(e) The department will not
require the applicant to possess a baccalaureate degree for issuance of a
limited career or technical education certificate.
