Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
156.111,
160.345(2)(h),
161.027,
161.028(1)(k), (s),
(t),
161.030(11),
161.048,
161.1211,
34 C.F.R.
300.156(c)(2)
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
161.048(1)(d) and (7)
require the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) to promulgate
administrative regulations establishing the standards and procedures for a
university alternative certification option for teacher and administrator
certification. This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for
entry and completion of the teacher and administrator university-based
alternative certification options, the responsibilities of the employing school
or school district, and the responsibilities of the approved college or
university alternative program.
Section
1. Definitions.
(1) "Alternative
certification administrator program" means a college or university post
baccalaureate or post masters administrator preparation program for an
individual enrolled concurrently with employment in a local school district as
an assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, school counselor,
director of special education, director of pupil personnel, supervisor of
instruction, or superintendent.
(2)
"Alternative certification teacher program" means a college or university post
baccalaureate teacher preparation program for an individual enrolled
concurrently with employment as a teacher.
Section 2. Admission Requirements.
(1) An applicant for an alternative
certification teacher program shall meet the admission standards for an initial
certification program established in
16 KAR 5:020.
(2) An applicant for an alternative
certification administrator program shall meet the admission standards for the
corresponding administrator certification program established in 16 KAR Chapter
3.
Section 3. University
Requirements for Alternative Certification Teacher Program.
(1) An accredited college or university
seeking to offer an alternative certification teacher program shall apply to
the EPSB for program approval in accordance with
16 KAR 5:010.
(2) In addition to the standards for program
approval established in
16 KAR 5:010, the educator
preparation provider seeking alternative certification teacher program approval
shall design the alternative certification teacher program to provide a
candidate with the coursework and mentoring necessary to permit a candidate to
maintain employment in an eligible position and to successfully complete any
applicable assessments, including internship programs, within a period of three
(3) years for those enrolled in an alternative certification teacher program
for teachers of exceptional children or interdisciplinary early childhood
education employed in a public school, or a period of five (5) years for all
other alternative certification teacher programs.
(3) Upon approval, the alternative
certification teacher program unit shall:
(a)
Assess a candidate's educational background and develop a plan of coursework
that shall adequately prepare the candidate for successful completion of the
requirements for program completion and certification for the areas and grade
ranges that correspond with the candidate's school placement;
(b) Provide a candidate written and dated
documentation of eligibility for the university alternative certification
teacher program so that the candidate may be considered for employment pursuant
to KRS
160.345(2)(h);
(c) Ensure that a candidate begins coursework
no later than ninety (90) days from the date the eligibility notice is
issued;
(d) Develop a written
agreement to provide, in collaboration with the administration of the
candidate's employing school, mentoring to the candidate in the employment
setting which shall include:
1. A minimum of
fifteen (15) hours of annual observation utilizing university faculty and a
district-based mentor of the candidate practicing instruction in the classroom,
as follows:
a. A minimum of five (5) hours of
observation by university faculty;
b. A minimum of five (5) hours of observation
by a district-based mentor; and
c.
A minimum of five (5) hours of observation by either the university faculty or
the district-based mentor;
2. A description of how support shall be
offered to the candidate during in-class and out-of-class time to assist the
candidate in meeting the teacher's instructional responsibilities;
3. The name, contact person, and role for the
collaborating educator preparation provider mentor; and
4. The name and role of all school district
mentor teachers;
(e)
Establish a process to maintain regular communication with the employing school
so that the educator preparation provider and employing school may assist the
candidate as needed and address identified areas of improvement; and
(f) Notify the EPSB in writing if a
candidate's employment in a covered position or enrollment in the alternative
certification teacher program permanently ceases.
(4) Student teaching shall not be required
for program completion.
Section
4. Temporary Provisional Certificate for Teaching.
(1) The temporary provisional certificate for
teaching shall be issued and renewed in accordance with
KRS
161.048(7).
(2) The temporary provisional certificate for
teaching shall be issued in accordance with a grade level and specialization as
recommended by the educator preparation provider and valid for employment
consistent with the area of certification being sought through the preparation
program.
(3) The temporary
provisional certificate for teaching shall be issued at the rank corresponding
to the degree held by the teacher applicant in accordance with the requirements
established in KRS
161.1211 and 16 KAR Chapter 8.
Section 5. Issuance of a Temporary
Provisional Certificate for Teaching.
(1)
Prior to seeking employment in a Kentucky public school, a candidate shall
request from the educator preparation provider written and dated documentation
of eligibility for the alternative certification teacher program to provide to
school districts pursuant to
KRS
160.345(2)(h).
(2) Prior to employment, a superintendent, on
behalf of the employing local board of education, shall be responsible for
requesting the temporary provisional certificate.
(3) The candidate shall submit to the EPSB an
official college transcript from each college or university attended.
(4) The candidate shall demonstrate
compliance with
16 KAR 2:010, Section
3(1).
(5) The employing school
district shall submit a completed and signed copy of the mentoring
collaboration agreement with the alternative certification teacher program as
required by Section 3(3)(d) of this administrative regulation.
(6) The educator preparation provider shall
submit a recommendation for the grade level and specialization of the temporary
provisional certificate.
Section
6. Requirements for Renewal of the Temporary Provisional
Certificate for Teaching.
(1) A candidate
shall be eligible for renewal of the temporary provisional certificate upon
application to the EPSB, compliance with
16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and
successful completion of the following requirements:
(a) Evidence of employment in a Kentucky
school district or regionally- or nationally accredited nonpublic school in the
content area or areas indicated on the initial certificate; and
(b) Recommendation from the educator
preparation provider based on continued enrollment, completion of annual
observation hours, and progress towards the completion of the alternative
teacher preparation program.
(2) If a candidate is required to complete an
internship in accordance with
KRS
161.030, the candidate shall complete the
required assessments as established in
16 KAR 6:010 prior to issuance of
the final temporary provisional certificate and shall complete the internship
during the final temporary provisional certificate.
(3) A candidate for exceptional children or
interdisciplinary early childhood certification employed in a public school may
only renew the temporary provisional certificate two (2) times.
(4) All other alternative certification
teacher candidates may renew the temporary provisional certificate four (4)
times.
Section 7.
Alternative Certification Teacher Program Completion Requirements.
(1) An applicant for teacher certification
shall meet all certification requirements for the corresponding certificate
established in 16 KAR Chapter 2 and the assessment requirements established in
16 KAR 6:010.
(2) Upon completion of all program
requirements of the university based alternative teacher program, the candidate
may apply to the EPSB for the professional certificate.
(3) Upon application to the EPSB, compliance
with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and
verification that a candidate has met all eligibility requirements for
certificate issuance, the EPSB shall issue a professional
certificate.
Section 8.
University Requirements for an Alternative Certification Administrator Program.
(1) An accredited college or university
seeking to offer an alternative certification administrator program shall apply
to the EPSB for program approval in accordance with
16 KAR 5:010.
(2) In addition to the standards for program
approval established in
16 KAR 5:010, the educator
preparation provider seeking alternative certification administrator program
approval shall design the alternative certification administrator program to
provide a candidate with the coursework and mentoring appropriate to permit a
candidate to maintain employment in an eligible position and successfully
complete any applicable assessments, including any internship or training
programs, within a period of two (2) years for those enrolled in an alternative
certification administrator program.
(3) Upon approval, the alternative
certification administrator program unit shall:
(a) Assess a candidate's educational
background and develop a plan of coursework that shall adequately prepare the
candidate for successful completion of the requirements for program completion
and certification for the areas and grade ranges that correspond with the
candidate's school placement;
(b)
Provide a candidate written and dated documentation of eligibility for the
university alternative certification administrator program so that the
candidate may be considered for employment pursuant to
KRS
160.345(2)(h);
(c) Ensure that a candidate begins coursework
no later than ninety (90) days from the date the eligibility notice is
issued;
(d) Develop a written
agreement to provide, in collaboration with the administration of the
candidate's employing school, mentoring to the candidate in the employment
setting which shall include:
1. A minimum of
fifteen (15) hours of annual observation utilizing university faculty and a
district-based mentor of the candidate practicing in the appropriate
administrative role, as follows:
a. A minimum
of five (5) hours of observation by university faculty;
b. A minimum of five (5) hours of observation
by a district-based mentor; and
c.
Five (5) hours of observation by either the university faculty or the
districtbased mentor;
2.
A description of how support shall be offered to the candidate to assist the
candidate in meeting the candidate's administrative responsibilities;
3. The name, contact person, and role for the
collaborating educator preparation provider mentor; and
4. The name and role of all school district
mentors;
(e) Establish a
process to maintain regular communication with the employing school so that the
educator preparation provider and employing school may assist the candidate as
needed and address identified areas of improvement; and
(f) Notify the EPSB in writing if a
candidate's employment in a covered position or enrollment in the alternative
certification administrator program permanently ceases.
Section 9. Temporary Provisional
Administrative Certificate.
(1) The temporary
provisional administrative certificate shall be issued for a validity period
not to exceed one (1) year.
(2) The
temporary provisional administrative certificate may be renewed a maximum of
one (1) time.
(3) The temporary
provisional administrative certificate shall be valid for employment in a
position consistent with the area of certification being sought through the
preparation program.
Section
10. Issuance of a Temporary Provisional Administrative
Certificate.
(1) Prior to seeking employment
in a Kentucky public school, a candidate shall request from the educator
preparation provider written and dated documentation of eligibility for the
university based alternative certification administrator program to provide to
school districts pursuant to
KRS
160.345(2)(h).
(2) Prior to employment, a superintendent, on
behalf of the employing local board of education, shall be responsible for
requesting the temporary provisional certificate.
(3) The candidate shall submit to the EPSB an
official college transcript from each college or university attended.
(4) The candidate shall demonstrate
compliance with
16 KAR 2:010, Section
3(1).
(5) The employing school
district shall submit a completed and signed copy of the mentoring
collaboration agreement with the university based alternative certification
program as required by Section 8(3)(d) of this administrative
regulation.
(6) The educator
preparation provider shall submit a recommendation for the specialization of
the temporary provisional certificate.
Section 11. Requirements for Renewal of the
Temporary Provisional Certificate for an Administrator.
(1) A candidate shall be eligible for no more
than one (1) renewal of the temporary provisional certificate.
(2) A candidate shall be eligible for renewal
of the temporary provisional certificate upon application to the EPSB,
compliance with
16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and
successful completion of the following requirements:
(a) Evidence of employment in a Kentucky
school district or nonpublic school in the position indicated on the initial
certificate; and
(b) Recommendation
from the educator preparation provider based on continued enrollment,
completion of annual observation hours, and progress towards the completion of
the alternative administrator program.
(3) If a candidate is seeking principal
certification and is required to complete an internship in accordance with
KRS
161.030, the candidate shall complete the
required assessments as established in
16 KAR 3:090 prior to renewal of
the temporary provisional certificate and shall complete the internship during
the final temporary provisional certificate.
Section 12. Alternative Certification
Administrator Program Completion Requirements.
(1)
(a)
During the period of enrollment in the alternative certification administrator
program, a candidate seeking superintendent certification and serving in a
local school district as a superintendent or assistant superintendent shall
successfully complete both the coursework in the institution's alternative
certification administrator program as well as the Superintendents Training
Program and assessments required in
KRS
156.111.
(b) The college or university faculty shall
maintain contact with the employing school district and the Kentucky Department
of Education regarding the completion of coursework to ensure that a
superintendent candidate has completed the required coursework to prepare for
the assessments and participation in the Superintendents Training
Program.
(2) An
applicant for administrator certification shall meet all certification
requirements for the corresponding certificate established in 16 KAR Chapter
3.
(3) Upon completion of all
program requirements of the alternative administrator program the candidate may
apply to the EPSB for the professional certificate.
(4) Upon application to the EPSB, compliance
with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and
verification that a candidate has met all eligibility requirements for
certificate issuance, the EPSB shall issue a professional
certificate.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
161.027(1),
161.048(1)(d),
(7)