ARC 2397C
EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS BOARD[282]
Adopted and Filed
Pursuant to the authority of Iowa Code section 272.2(1)“a,” the Board of Educational Examiners hereby amends Chapter 13, “Issuance of Teacher Licenses and Endorsements,” and Chapter 27, “Issuance of Professional Service Licenses,” Iowa Administrative Code.
The amendments change the number of practicum and internship hours required for a licensee to add the K-8 and 5-12 professional school counselor endorsement to both an Iowa teaching license and an Iowa professional service license. Currently, Iowa requires 500 hours at the K-8 level and 500 hours at the 5-12 level. This equates to approximately 12.5 weeks for each endorsement or 25 weeks for both. This significantly exceeds the required 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship required by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), which sets the national standards for counseling. These amendments bring Iowa’s standards into alignment with national standards and cease the imposition of an undue hardship on individuals seeking both endorsements.
Notice of Intended Action was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin as ARC 2237C on November 11, 2015. A public hearing was held on December 2, 2015, with written comments accepted until December 4, 2015. No one attended the hearing. The Board received two supportive written comments from counselor preparation programs. These amendments are identical to those published under Notice of Intended Action.
There is an agencywide waiver provision available in 282—Chapter 6.
The Board of Educational Examiners adopted these amendments on January 14, 2016.
After analysis and review of this rule making, there is no anticipated impact on jobs.
These amendments are intended to implement Iowa Code section 272.2(1)“a.”
These amendments will become effective March 23, 2016.
The following amendments are adopted.
	Item 1. Amend subparagraph 13.28(26)“c”(12) as follows:
	(12)	Teaching and counseling practicum. The school counselor demonstrates competency in conducting classroom sessions with elementary and middle school students. The practicum consisting of a minimum of 500 contact hours provides opportunities for the prospective counselor, under the supervision of a licensed professional school counselor, to engage in a variety of activities in which a regularly employed school counselor would be expected to participate including, but not limited to, individual counseling, group counseling, developmental classroom guidance, and consultation. The candidate will complete a preservice supervised practicum of a minimum of 100 hours, and at least 40 of these hours must be direct service. Candidates will complete a supervised internship for a minimum of 600 hours, and at least 240 of these hours must be direct service. For candidates seeking both the K-8 and 5-12 professional school counselor endorsements, a minimum of 100 hours of the practicum or internship experiences listed above must be completed at each of the desired endorsement levels.
	Item 2. Amend subparagraph 13.28(27)“c”(2) as follows:
	(2)	The teaching and counseling practicum. The school counselor demonstrates competency in conducting classroom sessions with middle and secondary school students. The practicum consisting of a minimum of 500 contact hours provides opportunities for the prospective counselor, under the supervision of a licensed professional school counselor, to engage in a variety of activities in which a regularly employed school counselor would be expected to participate including, but not limited to, individual counseling, group work, developmental classroom guidance, and consultation. The candidate will complete a preservice supervised practicum and an internship that meet the requirements set forth in 13.28(26)“c”(12).
	Item 3. Amend subparagraph 27.3(1)“c”(2) as follows:
	(2)	The teaching and counseling practicum. The school counselor demonstrates competency in conducting classroom sessions with elementary and middle school students. The practicum consisting of a minimum of 500 contact hours provides opportunities for the prospective counselor, under the supervision of a licensed professional school counselor, to engage in a variety of activities in which a regularly employed school counselor would be expected to participate including, but not limited to, individual counseling, group counseling, developmental classroom guidance, and consultation. The candidate will complete a preservice supervised practicum and an internship that meet the requirements set forth in 282—subparagraph 13.28(26)“c”(12).
	Item 4. Amend subparagraph 27.3(2)“c”(2) as follows:
	(2)	The teaching and counseling practicum. The school counselor demonstrates competency in conducting classroom sessions with middle and secondary school students. The practicum consisting of a minimum of 500 contact hours provides opportunities for the prospective counselor, under the supervision of a licensed professional school counselor, to engage in a variety of activities in which a regularly employed school counselor would be expected to participate including, but not limited to, individual counseling, group work, developmental classroom guidance, and consultation. The candidate will complete a preservice supervised practicum and an internship that meet the requirements set forth in 282—subparagraph 13.28(26)“c”(12).
[Filed 1/22/16, effective 3/23/16]
[Published 2/17/16]
Editor’s Note: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 2/17/16.