Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
161.028,
161.030,
161.048,
34 C.F.R.
300.156(c)(2)
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
161.048(1)(e) requires the
Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) to promulgate administrative
regulations establishing standards and procedures for the Alternative Route to
Certification Institute and the approval criteria for these programs. This
administrative regulation establishes the required elements of the alternative
route to certification and the application review process.
Section 1. Institute Providers.
(1) A provider not currently accredited by
the EPSB in accordance with
16 KAR 5:010, may demonstrate a
partnership with an institution of higher education accredited by the EPSB and
a school district or cooperative recognized by the Kentucky Department of
Education.
(2) A provider shall
submit an application to the EPSB in accordance with the Guidelines for
Submitting an Application to Provide an Alternative Route to Certification
Institute (Option 7).
Section
2. Application Review.
(1) An
application to provide an alternative route to certification institute shall be
submitted to EPSB staff.
(2) EPSB
staff shall complete an initial review to ensure that the application addresses
the requirements of KRS 161.048(8)
and the Guidelines for Submitting an Application to Provide an Alternative
Route to Certification Institute (Option 7).
(a) If EPSB staff determines that the
application addresses the requirements of this subsection, the application
shall be forwarded to an external review team.
(b) If EPSB staff determines that the
application does not address all the requirements of this subsection, staff
shall notify the provider of the deficiencies.
(3) An external review team of trained
reviewers appointed by EPSB pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, staff
shall review the application in accordance with
KRS
161.048(8) and the
Guidelines for Submitting an Application to Provide an Alternative Route to
Certification Institute (Option 7).
(4) The external review team shall be
comprised of:
(a) One (1) representative from
an EPSB accredited postsecondary institution;
(b) One (1) representative from a Kentucky
education cooperative; and
(c) One
(1) representative from a Kentucky public school district.
(5) The external review team shall review the
application to provide an alternative route to certification institute and
determine the quality of the application based on compliance with subsection
(2) of this section. The review team shall recommend acceptance or denial of
the application to the EPSB and shall include a supporting rationale for the
recommendation.
(6) The EPSB shall
review the external review team's recommendation, shall approve or deny each
application, and shall transmit the decision and rationale for the decision to
the provider.
(7) The provider may
revise and resubmit a plan that has been denied.
(8) Any approval granted by the EPSB shall
specify the period of approval of the institute, which shall not exceed two (2)
years for initial approval. A provider may apply for an extension of approval
as established in Section 3 of this administrative regulation.
Section 3. Continuance of Program
Approval.
(1) An institute provider may apply
for continuance of an approved alternative route to certification institute for
an additional period of time not to exceed seven (7) years. The request for
continuance shall specify any changes in program components that have occurred
since the institute received prior EPSB approval and that are planned for
implementation in subsequent training periods.
(2) The request for continuance shall provide
specific examples of demonstrating program quality as established in this
section and the application required by this administrative regulation. The
request for continuance shall include statistical information related to
teacher retention for all prior candidates who have completed the institute.
Standards for program approval established under this administrative regulation
shall be maintained under any program extension.
Section 4. Revocation for Cause.
(1) If an area of concern or an allegation of
misconduct arises after an institute has been approved, staff shall bring a
complaint to the EPSB for initial review.
(2) After review of the allegations in the
complaint, the EPSB may refer the matter to the external review team for
further investigation.
(3)
(a) Notice of the EPSB's decision to refer
the matter and the complaint shall be sent to the provider.
(b) Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the
complaint, the provider shall respond to the allegations in writing and provide
information pertaining to the allegations in the complaint to the
EPSB.
(4)
(a) The external review team shall review any
evidence supporting the allegations and any information submitted by the
provider.
(b) The external review
team may conduct on-site evaluations to evaluate the quality of the
program.
(c) Upon completion of the
review, the external review team shall issue a report recommending to the EPSB
continued approval of the institute or revocation of institute approval if the
institute no longer meets the standards and requirements for approval
established in this administrative regulation.
(5) The provider shall receive a copy of the
external review team's report and may file a response to the
recommendation.
(6)
(a) The recommendation from the external
review team and the provider's response shall be presented to the
EPSB.
(b) The EPSB shall consider
the findings and recommendations of the external review team and make a final
determination regarding the approval of the institute.
Section 5. Reconsideration.
(1) If a provider seeks reconsideration of an
EPSB decision, the provider shall submit a request within thirty (30) days of
receipt of the EPSB official notification. A provider shall submit the request
on the grounds that:
(a) A prescribed standard
was disregarded;
(b) A procedure
was not followed; or
(c) Evidence
of compliance in place at the time of the review and favorable to the provider
was not considered.
(2)
A panel of no fewer than three (3) members shall be appointed by the EPSB chair
from members of the EPSB who do not have a conflict of interest regarding the
provider or institute. The ad hoc committee shall recommend action on the
request to the full EPSB.
Section
6. Data Reports.
(1) The EPSB
shall maintain data reports related to:
(a)
Approval status of all EPSB approved Option 7 programs;
(b) Contact information for the person
responsible for the institute;
(c)
Year of last program review;
(d)
Tables relating the institute total enrollment disaggregated by ethnicity and
gender for the last three (3) years;
(e) Tables relating the institute faculty
disaggregated by the number of full-time equivalents (FTE), ethnicity, and
gender for the last three (3) years;
(f) Table of the number of program completers
for the last three (3) years;
(g)
Table relating pass rates on the required assessments;
(h) Table relating program completer
satisfaction with the preparation program; and
(i) Table relating new teacher (under three
(3) years) and supervisor satisfaction with the preparation program.
(2) A provider shall report to the
EPSB staff at the end of each school year continuous improvement efforts
relating to the institute.
Section
7. Temporary Provisional Certificate.
(1) An eligible candidate who meets the
requirements of KRS
161.048(8)(a) 1. through 4.
and 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), shall
be issued a one (1) year provisional teaching certificate.
(2) The candidate shall apply to the EPSB and
provide:
(a) Official transcripts of all
college work undertaken by the candidate establishing proof of a bachelor's
degree or graduate degree and grade point average;
(b) Proof of a passing score on the admission
assessments as established in
16 KAR 5:020, unless the applicant
holds a terminal degree;
(c) Proof
of a passing score on the academic content assessment, as established in
16 KAR 6:010, in the area in which
certification is being sought;
(d)
Verification by the institute provider of completion of half of the requisite
institute hours; and
(e) Evidence
of employment in a Kentucky school district or regionally- or nationally
accredited nonpublic school in the content area of the certification.
(3) A candidate shall be eligible
for first renewal of the temporary provisional certificate upon application to
the EPSB, compliance with
16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and:
(a) Verification of completion of:
1. 240 hour institute for elementary or K-12
certification; or
2. 180 hour
institute for middle or high school certification; and
(b) Evidence of employment in a Kentucky
school district or regionally- or nationally accredited nonpublic school in the
content area of the certification.
(4) A candidate shall be eligible for
subsequent 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 institute
provider based on continued enrollment, completion of mentoring, and progress
towards the completion of the program.
(5) 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.
(6) 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.
(7) All other candidates may renew the
temporary provisional certificate four (4) times.
Section 8. Professional Certificate.
(1) Upon completion of all program
requirements established in this administrative regulation, the applicant may
apply for the professional certificate.
(2) Prior to issuance of the professional
certificate, the candidate shall obtain a passing score on the pedagogy
assessment, as established in
16 KAR 6:010, for the certificate
being sought.
(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 the candidate a professional
certificate.
Section 9.
Incorporation by Reference.
(1) "Guidelines
for Submitting an Application to Provide an Alternative Route to Certification
Institute (Option 7)", 2022, is incorporated by reference.
(2) This material may be inspected, copied,
or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Education Professional
Standards Board, 300 Sower Boulevard, 5th Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This material is also available on
the Education Professional Standards Board's Web site at
http://www.epsb.ky.gov/course/view.php?id=2.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
161.028,
161.030,
161.048(1)(e)