Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part CXXXI - Bulletin 746-Louisiana Standards for State Certification of School Personnel
Chapter 5 - Teacher Credentials, Licenses, and Certifications
Subchapter B - Nonstandard Teaching Credentials
Section CXXXI-529 - Out-of-Field Authorization to Teach (OFAT)

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code CXXXI-529

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

A. Out-of-Field Authorization to Teach (OFAT) is issued for one three-year period while the holder pursues endorsement or add-on certification requirements. The OFAT is limited to two certification areas and is transferable to other employing school systems for the remaining validity period. If the teacher is actively pursuing certification in the field and the LDE has designated the area as an area that requires extensive hours for completion, up to two additional years of renewal may be granted. Issuance of subsequent OFAT requests may be considered once the previous OFAT certification area(s) have been added to the holder's standard teaching certificate.

B. Eligibility requirements. Issued to an applicant who holds a valid type C, type B or B*, type A or A*, level 1, level 2 or 2*, level 3 or 3*, or OS teaching certificate but is teaching outside of the certified area(s).

1. Repealed.

2. Repealed.

3.Repealed.

C. OFAT Stipulations

1. LEAs must submit the application and provide an affidavit signed by the local superintendent, or the designee, verifying that good faith efforts for recruiting certified personnel have been made, and that there is no regularly certified, competent, and suitable person available for the position, and that the applicant is the best-qualified person for the position.

2. If the teacher is actively pursuing certification in the field and the LDE designates the area as an area that requires extensive hours for completion, up to two additional years of renewal may be granted. Designated areas are as follows:
a. applicants pursuing certification in academically gifted, significant disabilities, early interventionist, deaf or hard of hearing, and visual impairments/blind may be granted two additional years of renewal; and

b. applicants pursuing certification in mild/moderate may be granted one additional year of renewal.

3. A renewal of the OFAT for the LDOE designated areas will not be considered for individuals who lack 50 percent or more of the requirements to fulfill the OFAT.

D. COVID-19 OFAT Extensions. Educators for whom the 2019-2020 school year was the final year of OFAT validity period and who were unable to successfully meet endorsement or add-on certification requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shall be granted a one-year OFAT extension for the 2020-2021 school year. This OFAT extension is only available to educators employed in 20192020 as reported by school systems in the Profile for Educational Personnel (PEP).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:6(A)(10), (11), and (15), R.S. 17:7(6), R.S. 17:10, R.S. 17:22(6), R.S. 17:391.1- 391.10, and R.S. 17:411.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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