HF 95 (LSB 1063YH (5) 90)

HOUSE FILE 95

BY  WILLS

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a temporary initial teaching license to be issued by the board of educational examiners to applicants who complete alternative teacher certification programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  272.17  Temporary initial license for applicants who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
   1.  The board shall grant a temporary initial teaching license to an applicant who meets all of the following requirements:
   a.  The applicant holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
   b.  The applicant has successfully completed an alternative teacher certification program that includes all of the following:
   (1)  The required content training in the area in which the applicant seeks to be licensed.
   (2)  Pedagogy training, including an examination, that teaches effective instructional delivery, classroom management and organization, assessment, instructional design, and professional learning and leadership.
   2.  An institution of higher education under the control of the state board of regents or an accredited private institution as defined in section 261.9 may provide an alternative teacher certification program and the requirements described in subsection 3 shall not apply to such a program.
   3.  To be considered an alternative teacher certification program for purposes of this section, an alternative teacher certification program that is not provided by an institution of higher education under the control of the state board of regents, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 261.9, shall meet all of the following requirements:
   a.  The alternative teacher certification program must operate in at least five states.
   b.  The alternative teacher certification program must have been in operation for at least five years.
   4.  An individual who successfully completes an alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the board under this section is authorized to teach the subjects and grade levels that the individual successfully completed during the alternative teacher certification program.
   5.  The board shall treat an individual who successfully completes an alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the board under this section in the same manner as an individual who completes a traditional teacher preparation program and who receives an initial teaching license, including during the process of converting the temporary initial teaching license to a standard teaching license.
    Sec. 2.  Section 272.28, Code 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   272.28  Licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license.
   1.  Requirements for teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license shall include successful completion of a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program approved by the state board of education pursuant to section 284.5; or two years of successful teaching experience in a school district with an approved career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework or approved comparable system as provided in section 284.15; or evidence of not less than three years of successful teaching experience at any of the following:
   a.  An accredited nonpublic school in this state.
   b.  A preschool program approved by the United States department of health and human services.
   c.  Preschool programs at school districts approved to participate in the preschool program under chapter 256C.
   d.  Shared visions programs receiving grants from the child development coordinating council under section 256A.3.
   e.  Preschool programs receiving moneys from the school ready children grants account of the early childhood Iowa fund created in section 256I.11.
   2.  A teacher from an accredited nonpublic school or another state or country is exempt from the requirement of subsection 1 if the teacher can document three years of successful teaching experience and meet or exceed the requirements contained in rules adopted under this chapter for endorsement and licensure.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a temporary initial teaching license to be issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE) to applicants who complete alternative teacher certification programs.
   The bill requires the BOEE to grant a temporary initial teaching license to an applicant who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and has successfully completed an alternative teacher certification program that includes the required content training in the area in which the applicant seeks to be licensed and pedagogy training that satisfies certain specified requirements.
   The bill authorizes institutions under the control of the state board of regents and accredited private institutions to provide alternative teacher certification programs. The bill also authorizes other persons to provide alternative teacher certification programs if those programs operate in at least five states and have been in operation for at least five years.
   The bill provides that an individual who successfully completes an alternative teacher certification program and is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the BOEE is authorized to teach the subjects and grade levels that the individual completed during the program.
   The bill requires the BOEE to treat an individual who successfully completes an alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the BOEE in the same manner as an individual who completes a traditional teacher preparation program and who receives an initial teaching license.
   Code section 272.28 establishes requirements for teacher licensure beyond an initial license. Pursuant to current Code section 272.28, the requirements for teacher licensure beyond an initial license include successful completion of a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program; two years of successful teaching experience in a school district with an approved career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework; or evidence of not less than three years of successful teaching experience with certain specified programs. The bill modifies Code section 272.28 to impose these same requirements on individuals attempting to obtain teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial teaching license.