SF 2171 (LSB 1893SV (2) 87)

SENATE FILE 2171

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 128)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to subject assessment requirements for successful completion of an approved practitioner preparation program and providing for related matters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph a, subparagraph (2), Code 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   (2)  (a)  Administer, prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program and subject to the director’s approval, subject assessments designed by a nationally recognized testing service that measure pedagogy and knowledge of at least one subject area; or, a valid and reliable subject-area-specific, performance-based assessment for preservice teacher candidates, centered on student learning. A student shall not successfully complete the program unless the student achieves scores above the twenty-fifth percentile nationally on the assessments administered pursuant to this subparagraph.
   (b)  The state board shall adopt rules to provide that the director shall waive the assessment requirements of subparagraph division (a) for one year for a person if the person has received an offer for a teaching contract from a school district or accredited nonpublic school and the applicant submits to the director an affidavit from the administrator of the school district or the accredited nonpublic school verifying that the school district or accredited nonpublic school has made every reasonable and good-faith effort to employ a teacher licensed under chapter 272 for the specified subject and is unable to employ such a teacher, and the person meets any of the following conditions:
   (i)  Completed the course requirements for an approved practitioner preparation program but attained an assessment score below that required for successful completion of the program under subparagraph division (a).
   (ii)  Attended and successfully completed a practitioner preparation program outside of this state that would be considered approved by the state board except that the program either does not require the assessments specified in subparagraph division (a) or accepts assessment scores below those required under subparagraph division (a).
   (c)  If a person receives a waiver under subparagraph division (b) and within thirty days of receiving the waiver submits the waiver and an application for licensure to the board of educational examiners, the board of educational examiners shall issue to the applicant an initial one-year license, which shall not be renewed unless the applicant submits evidence to the board of educational examiners that the person has achieved the scores required in accordance with subparagraph division (a).
    Sec. 2.  Section 272.2, subsection 14, paragraph b, subparagraph (5), Code 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   (5)  The applicant fails to meet board standards for application for an initial or renewed license.  However, this subparagraph shall not apply to a person who applies for an initial one-year license and submits to the board a waiver issued by the director of the department in accordance with section 256.16.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the director of the department of education to waive a requirement for successful completion of a practitioner preparation program under certain conditions and requires the board of educational examiners, if presented with such a waiver by an applicant for initial licensure, to issue an initial one-year license to the applicant.
   Currently, students enrolled in such a program must achieve scores above the 25th percentile nationally on subject and performance-based assessments before successfully completing the program. To receive a one-year waiver from these assessment requirements, the bill provides that a person must have been offered a teaching contract by a school district or accredited nonpublic school and must submit to the director an affidavit from the administrator of the school district or school verifying that every reasonable and good-faith effort has been made by the school district or school to employ a licensed teacher for the specified subject and the school district or school is unable to do so.
   If such a person applies to the board of educational examiners within 30 days of receiving the waiver, the board must issue the applicant an initial one-year license, which shall not be renewed unless the person submits proof to the board that the person has achieved the necessary assessment scores. The bill makes a conforming change.