CHAPTER 16
STATEMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION (SPR)
[Prior to 1/14/09, see Educational Examiners Board[282] Ch 14]
282—16.1(272) Statement of professional recognition (SPR).
	16.1(1) The following are authorizations that require or permit statements of professional recognition and licenses obtained from the professional licensure division, department of public health, or the board of nursing and that do not permit service as a teacher:
	a. 	School audiologist.
	b. 	School nurse.
	c. 	School occupational therapist.
	d. 	School physical therapist.
	e. 	School social worker.
	f. 	Special education nurse.
	g. 	Speech-language pathologist.
	h. 	School behavior analyst.
	i. 	Mental health professional.
	16.1(2) Application. Statements of professional recognition are issued upon application filed on a form provided by the board of educational examiners and upon completion of the background check requirements set forth in rule 282—13.1(272).
	16.1(3) Degrees. Degrees must be from a college or university accredited by an institutional accrediting agency as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
[ARC 2230C, IAB 11/11/15, effective 12/16/15; ARC 3633C, IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18; ARC 5803C, IAB 7/28/21, effective 9/1/21; ARC 5807C, IAB 7/28/21, effective 7/8/21]
282—16.2(272) School audiologist. If an applicant has completed a master’s degree in audiology but has not completed the education sequence or chooses not to be certified, the applicant must obtain a license from the Iowa board of speech pathology and audiology, department of public health. Additionally, the person is required to obtain an SPR from the board of educational examiners.
	16.2(1) Authorization. The holder of this statement of professional recognition is authorized to serve as a school audiologist to pupils from birth to age 21 who are deaf or hard of hearing (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8).
	16.2(2) Requirements. The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency must submit a letter requesting that the authorization be issued. The following documents must be included:
	a. 	A copy of a temporary or regular license issued from the professional licensure division, department of public health.
	b. 	An official transcript reflecting a master’s degree in audiology.
	16.2(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.2(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year. An approved human relations course must be completed before the start of the next school year. The applicant must provide evidence that:
	a. 	The applicant has completed the human relations component within the required time frame; and
	b. 	The class of license from the professional licensure division is a regular license in the event a temporary license was issued initially.
[ARC 3633C, IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18; ARC 5802C, IAB 7/28/21, effective 9/1/21]
282—16.3(272) School nurse. A person who has passed the registered nurse examination and is licensed by the Iowa board of nursing may obtain a statement of professional recognition (SPR) from the board of educational examiners.
	16.3(1) Authorization. The holder of an SPR is authorized to promote the health and safety of the students in an accredited school district, including providing medical treatment as allowed under the authority granted by virtue of holding a license from the Iowa board of nursing.
	16.3(2) Requirements.
	a. 	Applicant has passed the registered nurse examination, is licensed by the Iowa board of nursing and has a baccalaureate degree.
	b. 	While employed by an accredited K-12 school district, applicant maintains licensure with the Iowa board of nursing.
	16.3(3) Validity. The school nurse SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.3(4) Local requirements. A school district may require an SPR, but the board of educational examiners does not require an SPR for nurses working in a school district.
	16.3(5) Renewal. Renewal requirements for the SPR:
	a. 	Applicant must apply for renewal every five years.
	b. 	Applicant must maintain continual licensure with the Iowa board of nursing.
	c. 	Applicant must complete continuing education as required by the Iowa board of nursing.
282—16.4(272) School occupational therapist. A person who holds a degree or equivalent baccalaureate in occupational therapy and a valid license to practice occupational therapy in Iowa as granted by the professional licensure division, department of public health, may obtain a statement of professional recognition (SPR) by the board of educational examiners.
	16.4(1) Authorization. The holder of this authorization may serve as a school occupational therapist to pupils from birth to age 21 who have physical impairments (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8). The legalization for this support personnel is through a statement of professional recognition (SPR) and not through teacher licensure.
	16.4(2) Requirements.
	a. 	The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency must submit a letter to the board of educational examiners to request that the authorization be issued.
	b. 	An applicant must also submit the following documents:
	(1)	A copy of a temporary or regular license from the professional licensure division, department of public health.
	(2)	An official transcript.
	16.4(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.4(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year if the class of license from the professional licensure division is temporary. A regular SPR will be issued with verification of a regular license and of at least a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy.
282—16.5(272) School physical therapist. A person who holds a degree or equivalent baccalaureate in physical therapy and a valid license to practice physical therapy in Iowa as granted by the professional licensure division, department of public health, may be issued a statement of professional recognition (SPR) by the board of educational examiners.
	16.5(1) Authorization. The holder of this authorization can serve as a school physical therapist to pupils from birth to age 21 who have physical impairments (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8). The legalization for this support service personnel is through a statement of professional recognition (SPR) and not through teacher licensure.
	16.5(2) Requirements.
	a. 	The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency must submit a letter to the board of educational examiners to request that the authorization be issued.
	b. 	An applicant must also submit the following documents:
	(1)	A copy of a temporary or regular license from the professional licensure division, department of public health.
	(2)	An official transcript.
	16.5(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.5(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year if the class of license from the professional licensure division is temporary. A regular SPR will be issued with verification of a regular license and of at least a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy.
282—16.6(272) School social worker. A person who meets the requirements set forth below may be issued a statement of professional recognition (SPR) by the board of educational examiners.
	16.6(1) Authorization. The holder of this statement of professional recognition is authorized to serve as a school social worker to pupils from birth to age 21 (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8).
	16.6(2) Requirements. The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency or local education agency must submit an application to request that the authorization be issued. The application must include:
	a. 	An official transcript that reflects the master’s degree in social work; and
	b. 	The licensed independent social worker (LISW) or licensed master social worker (LMSW) license issued by the Iowa board of social work.
	16.6(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.6(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year if the class of license from the professional licensure division is temporary. A regular SPR will be issued with verification of a regular license and a master’s degree in social work.
[ARC 3633C, IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18]
282—16.7(272) Special education nurse. A person who holds a baccalaureate degree in nursing or a master’s degree in nursing, holds current licensure in the state of Iowa by the board of nursing and has two years’ experience in public health nursing including service to schools or as a school nurse may be issued a statement of professional recognition (SPR) by the board of educational examiners.
	16.7(1) Authorization. The holder of this authorization is authorized to serve as a special education nurse to pupils from birth to age 21 requiring special education (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8). The legalization for this support service personnel is through a statement of professional recognition (SPR) and not through teacher licensure.
	16.7(2) Requirements.
	a. 	The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency must submit a letter to the board of educational examiners to request that the SPR be issued.
	b. 	An applicant must submit the following documents:
	(1)	A copy of the license issued by the Iowa board of nursing.
	(2)	An official transcript.
	(3)	Verification of two years’ experience in public health nursing.
	(4)	Completion of an approved human relations course.
	16.7(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.7(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year. The applicant must provide evidence that:
	a. 	A professional registered nurse who does not meet the criteria set forth in rule 282—16.7(272) must complete six semester credits of graduate or undergraduate coursework in special education within one school year after receiving temporary authorization; and
	b. 	An approved human relations course must be completed before the start of the next school year.
282—16.8(272) Speech-language pathologist. If an applicant has completed a master’s degree in speech pathology but has not completed the education sequence or chooses not to be certified, the applicant must obtain a license from the Iowa board of speech pathology and audiology, department of public health. Additionally, the person is required to obtain an SPR from the board of educational examiners.
	16.8(1) Authorization. The holder of this statement of professional recognition is authorized to serve as a speech-language pathologist to pupils from birth to age 21 (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8).
	16.8(2) Requirements. The special education director (or designee) of the area education agency must submit a letter requesting that the authorization be issued. The following documents must be included:
	a. 	A copy of a temporary or regular license issued from the professional licensure division, department of public health.
	b. 	An official transcript reflecting a master’s degree in speech pathology.
	16.8(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.8(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year. An approved human relations course must be completed before the start of the next school year. The applicant must provide evidence that:
	a. 	The applicant has completed the human relations component within the required time frame; and
	b. 	The class of license from the professional licensure division is a regular license in the event a temporary license was issued initially.
[ARC 3633C, IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18]
282—16.9(272) School behavior analyst.  A person who has obtained a master’s degree and board-certified behavior analyst certification and who is licensed by the Iowa board of behavioral science may obtain a statement of professional recognition (SPR) from the board of educational examiners.
	16.9(1) Authorization. The holder of this authorization can serve as a school behavior analyst to pupils from birth to age 21 (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8). The legalization for this support service personnel is through an SPR and not through teacher licensure.
	16.9(2) Requirements.
	a. 	The special education director (or designee) of the school district or area education agency must submit a letter to the board of educational examiners to request that the authorization be issued.
	b. 	An applicant must also submit the following documents:
	(1)	A copy of a temporary or regular license from the board of behavioral science.
	(2)	An official transcript.
	c. 	While employed by an accredited K-12 school district or area education agency, the applicant must also maintain licensure with the Iowa board of behavioral science.
	16.9(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.9(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year if the class of license from the professional licensure division is temporary. A regular SPR will be issued with verification of a regular license.
[ARC 5807C, IAB 7/28/21, effective 7/8/21]
282—16.10(272) Mental health professional. A mental health professional pursuant to Iowa Code section 228.1 who has obtained a license from a bureau under the Iowa department of public health shall obtain a statement of professional recognition (SPR) from the board of educational examiners to be employed by or provide services to an accredited public or private school.
	16.10(1) Authorization. The holder of this authorization can serve as a mental health professional to pupils from birth to age 21 (and to a maximum allowable age in accordance with Iowa Code section 256B.8). The legalization for this support service personnel is through an SPR and not through teacher licensure.
	16.10(2) Requirements.
	a. 	An administrator for the school or area education agency must submit a form to the board of educational examiners to request that the authorization be issued.
	b. 	An applicant must also submit the following documents:
	(1)	A copy of a temporary or regular license from the relevant bureau of the Iowa department of public health.
	(2)	An official transcript.
	c. 	While employed by or providing services to an accredited public or private school or area education agency, the applicant must also maintain licensure with the relevant bureau of the Iowa department of public health.
	d. 	Social workers shall instead obtain the professional service license or SPR specific to school social work which includes the authorization to provide mental health services to an accredited public or private school or area education agency.
	16.10(3) Validity. The SPR shall be valid for five years.
	16.10(4) Temporary authorization. A temporary SPR will be issued for one school year if the class of license from the professional licensure division is temporary. A regular SPR will be issued with verification of a regular license.
[ARC 5807C, IAB 7/28/21, effective 7/8/21]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 272.
[Filed 12/24/08, Notice 10/22/08—published 1/14/09, effective 2/18/09]
[Filed ARC 2230C (Notice ARC 2130C, IAB 9/2/15), IAB 11/11/15, effective 12/16/15]
[Filed ARC 3633C (Notice ARC 3471C, IAB 12/6/17), IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 5807C (Notice ARC 5667C, IAB 6/2/21), IAB 7/28/21, effective 7/8/21]
[Filed ARC 5802C (Notice ARC 5666C, IAB 6/2/21), IAB 7/28/21, effective 9/1/21]
[Filed ARC 5803C (Notice ARC 5665C, IAB 6/2/21), IAB 7/28/21, effective 9/1/21]