CHAPTER 3
CONTINUING EDUCATION
[Prior to 3/9/88, see Landscape Architectural Examiners Board[540] Ch 3]
193D—3.1(544B,17A) Definitions. As used in these rules, the following definitions shall apply:
“Distance learning” means any education process based on the geographical separation of student and instructor. “Distance learning” includes computer-generated programs, webinars, and home-study/correspondence programs.
“Health, safety, and welfare subjects” means technical and professional subjects that the board deems appropriate to safeguard directly the public’s health, safety, and welfare. Such subjects include design, environmental systems, site design, land use analyses, landscape architecture programming, grading and drainage, storm water management, erosion control, site and soil analyses, accessibility, building codes, review of state registration laws including the rules of professional conduct, evaluation and selection of products and materials, cost analysis, construction methods, contract documentation, construction contract administration, construction administration, construction-phase office procedures, project management, and the like.
“Hours of continuing education” means a contact hour spent in either structured educational activities or individually planned activities intended to increase the professional landscape architect’s knowledge and competence in public protection subjects and related practice subjects. “Contact hour” is defined as the typical 50-minute classroom instructional session or its equivalent.
“Structured educational activities” means educational activities in which the teaching methodology consists primarily of systematic presentation of public protection subjects or related practice subjects by qualified individuals or organizations including monographs, courses of study taught in person or by correspondence, organized lectures, presentations or workshops, and other means through which identifiable technical and professional subjects are presented in a planned manner.
[ARC 3794C, IAB 5/9/18, effective 6/13/18]
193D—3.2(544B,17A) Continuing education requirements. In order for professional landscape architects to provide competent, professional services to the public, continuing education shall consist of learning experiences that enhance, expand and keep current the skills, knowledge, and abilities of practicing professionals. Professional landscape architects may pursue learning experiences in technical, nontechnical, regulatory, ethics and business practice areas, provided that the continuing education directly benefits the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
	3.2(1) Hours required. Each registrant shall complete during each two-year licensing term a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education approved by the board. Compliance with the continuing education requirements is a prerequisite for license renewal.
	3.2(2) Within any biennial renewal period, 24 hours of continuing education must be acquired and shall be in health, safety, and welfare subjects acquired in structured educational activities. Hours acquired in any 24-month renewal period may not be carried over to a subsequent 24-month renewal period. Continuing education hours may be acquired in any location.
	3.2(3) A professional landscape architect who holds a license in Iowa for less than 12 months from the date of initial licensure shall not be required to report continuing education at the first license renewal. A professional landscape architect who holds a license in Iowa for more than 12 months, but less than 24 months from the date of initial licensure, shall be required to report 12 hours of continuing education in health, safety, and welfare subjects earned in the preceding 12 months at the first license renewal.
	3.2(4) Sources of continuing education. The following suggested list may be used by all licensees to determine the types of activities which may fulfill the continuing education requirements. All hours of continuing education must also comply with the directive in subrule 3.2(2).
	a. 	Hours of continuing education in attendance at short courses or seminars dealing with landscape architectural subjects and sponsored by colleges, universities or professional organizations.
	b. 	Hours of continuing education in attendance at presentations on landscape architectural subjects, which are held in conjunction with conventions or at seminars related to materials use and function. Presentations such as those presented by CLARB, American Society of Landscape Architects, Construction Specification Institute, Construction Products Manufacturers Council or similar organizations devoted to landscape architecture education may qualify.
	c. 	Hours of continuing education in attendance at short courses or seminars relating to business practice or new technology and offered by colleges, universities, professional organizations or system suppliers.
	d. 	Hours of continuing education spent presenting or teaching courses or seminars in landscape architecture. Three preparation hours may be claimed for each class hour spent teaching landscape architectural courses or seminars. College or university faculty members may not claim credit for teaching regular curriculum courses.
	e. 	Hours of continuing education spent learning through professional service to the public which draws upon the licensee’s professional expertise on boards and commissions, such as serving on planning commissions, building code advisory boards, urban renewal boards, code study commissions or community boards. Hours of continuing education under this paragraph shall be limited to 6 hours earned in any biennial renewal period.
	f. 	Hours of continuing education spent in landscape architectural research which is published or formally presented to the profession or public. Credit may be claimed only following proof of publication or presentation. Hours of continuing education under this paragraph shall be limited to 12 hours earned in any biennial renewal period.
	g. 	Hours of continuing education spent in distance learning that concludes with an examination or other verification of course completion.
	h. 	College or university courses dealing with landscape architectural subjects or business practice. Each semester hour shall equal 15 hours of continuing education. A quarter hour shall equal 10 hours of continuing education.
	i. 	Hours of continuing education spent in educational tours or tours in areas significant to landscape architecture when the tour is sponsored by college, university or professional organizations and verification of participation is provided by the tour sponsor. Self-guided tours do not qualify. Hours of continuing education under this paragraph shall be limited to 6 hours earned in any biennial renewal period.
	j. 	Hours of continuing education spent attending in-house educational programs, including dinner, luncheon, and breakfast meetings.
	3.2(5) Financing. It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the costs for continuing education.
[ARC 9749B, IAB 9/21/11, effective 10/26/11; ARC 3794C, IAB 5/9/18, effective 6/13/18]
193D—3.3(544B,17A) Compliance.
	3.3(1) Each professional landscape architect shall file with the board a signed report, under penalty of perjury, on forms provided by the board or by online renewal, setting forth the continuing education activities in which the professional landscape architect has participated. The report shall be filed with the renewal application for each two-year renewal period in which the claimed hours of continuing education were completed. The information in the report shall include:
	a. 	School, firm or organization conducting the course.
	b. 	Location of the course.
	c. 	Title of the course and description of the content.
	d. 	Principal instructor(s).
	e. 	Dates attended.
	f. 	Hours claimed.
	g. 	In instances of service on a professional or community board, or other undocumented hours of continuing education, the licensee shall provide a narrative description of the materials the licensee reviewed, the nature of the licensee’s service, and a description as to how the licensee’s claimed hours of continuing education have contributed to the health, safety and welfare of the public.
This information shall be kept by the licensee for reported hours of continuing education for two years.
	3.3(2) A professional landscape architect’s continuing education report forms or online renewal may be selected for review by the board for verification of compliance with these requirements. Evidence of compliance shall be maintained by the professional landscape architect for two years after the period for which the form was submitted and shall include written verification of attendance by someone other than the licensee. Examples of evidence may include, but are not limited to, a certificate of completion presented by the program sponsor, a letter from an employer verifying attendance at an in-firm training session, or copies of minutes from public service meetings. Canceled checks or receipts for payments of fees to attend a program are not evidence of actual attendance and are not acceptable.
	3.3(3) If the board disallows or finds incomplete/unsatisfactory any hours of continuing education, unless the board finds, following notice and hearing, that the professional landscape architect willfully disregarded continuing education requirements, then the professional landscape architect shall have 60 days from notice of such disallowance to make up the deficiency by acquiring the required number of hours of continuing education. Such hours shall not again be used for the next renewal.
[ARC 3794C, IAB 5/9/18, effective 6/13/18]
193D—3.4(544B,17A) Hearings. In the event of denial, in whole or in part, of any application for approval of credit for continuing education activity, the licensee shall have the right, within 20 days after the date of notification of the denial by mail, to request a hearing by the board. The hearing shall be held within 60 days after receipt of the request for the hearing. The decision of the board shall be final.
193D—3.5(544B,17A) Physical disability, illness, hardship, or extenuating circumstances. The board may, in individual cases involving physical disability, illness (certified by a medical doctor), hardship, or extenuating circumstances, grant waivers of the continuing education requirements for a period of time not to exceed one year. No waiver or extension of time shall be granted unless the licensee makes a written request to the board for such action.
193D—3.6(544B,17A) Methods of compliance and exemptions. A licensee licensed to practice as a professional landscape architect shall be deemed to have complied with the continuing education requirements during the continuing education compliance period that the licensee:
	1.	Serves honorably on active duty in the military service; or
	2.	Resides in another state or district having a continuing education requirement for the occupation or profession and meets all the requirements of that state or district for practice therein; or
	3.	Is a government employee working as a professional landscape architect and assigned to duty outside the United States; or
	4.	Is approved by the board for periods of active practice and absence from the state.
If the licensee was not engaged in active practice as a professional landscape architect and will maintain inactive status during the period for which renewal is requested, the board may exempt the licensee from continuing education. No exemption shall be granted without a written request from the licensee.
193D—3.7(544B,17A) Grounds for denial of license renewal. Failure of a licensee to complete the continuing education requirements as set forth in this chapter, or failure to file a report of completed continuing education, or failure to submit a written request for waiver or exemption shall be grounds for the board to deny renewal of the license.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 544B.
[Filed 11/9/78, Notice 10/4/78—published 11/29/78, effective 1/3/79]
[Filed 2/18/88, Notice 12/16/87—published 3/9/88, effective 4/13/88]
[Filed without Notice 2/18/88—published 3/9/88, effective 4/13/88]
[Filed 10/16/95, Notice 8/2/95—published 11/8/95, effective 12/13/95]
[Filed 2/17/00, Notice 12/15/99—published 3/8/00, effective 9/1/00]
[Filed 7/24/03, Notice 5/14/03—published 8/20/03, effective 9/24/03]
[Filed 10/20/05, Notice 8/3/05—published 11/9/05, effective 12/14/05]
[Filed 5/3/07, Notice 2/14/07—published 5/23/07, effective 6/27/07]
[Filed ARC 9749B (Notice ARC 9569B, IAB 6/29/11), IAB 9/21/11, effective 10/26/11]
[Filed ARC 3794C (Notice ARC 3653C, IAB 2/28/18), IAB 5/9/18, effective 6/13/18]