Senate File 332 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY McKINLEY Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to board of educational examiners testing 2 requirements for applicants for teacher licensure or 3 endorsement. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1593XS 82 6 kh/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 272.2, Code 2007, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new subsection: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 18. Adopt rules that require any 1 4 applicant for licensure as a teacher to take the praxis II 1 5 principles of learning and teaching test for the appropriate 1 6 grade level and a praxis II teaching foundations test in the 1 7 appropriate subject area. If the applicant is applying for an 1 8 Iowa endorsement, the board shall require the applicant to 1 9 take a praxis II subject assessment for each endorsement the 1 10 applicant seeks. However, the rules shall provide that the 1 11 applicant is exempt from the testing requirements of this 1 12 subsection if the applicant provides the board with evidence 1 13 that the applicant has taken the appropriate praxis II tests 1 14 and the applicant's scores on the tests meet or exceed the 1 15 qualifying scores approved by the board. 1 16 EXPLANATION 1 17 This bill requires the board of educational examiners to 1 18 adopt rules requiring that a person who applies to the board 1 19 of educational examiners for licensure as a teacher or for an 1 20 endorsement to teach in a specific subject area must take a 1 21 praxis II principles of learning and teaching test and a 1 22 praxis II teaching foundations test, as well as a subject 1 23 assessment for each endorsement the applicant seeks, unless 1 24 the applicant provides the board with evidence that the 1 25 applicant has taken the appropriate praxis II tests and the 1 26 applicant's scores on the tests meet or exceed the qualifying 1 27 scores approved by the board. 1 28 The praxis II principles of learning and teaching test 1 29 measures general pedagogical knowledge. The teaching 1 30 foundations test measures pedagogy. The subject assessment 1 31 measures general and subject=specific teaching skills and 1 32 knowledge. 1 33 LSB 1593XS 82 1 34 kh:nh/je/5.1