HF 119 (LSB 1197YH (5) 91)

HOUSE FILE 119

BY  LATHAM

A BILL FOR

An Act modifying provisions related to content specialist authorizations and career and technical secondary authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners and including applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.146, subsection 12, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   12.  a.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to provide for nontraditional preparation options for licensing persons who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited or state-approved college or university, who do not meet other requirements for licensure. The rules shall, at a minimum, require the board to do all of the following:
   a.  (1)  Issue a teacher intern license to an applicant who has enrolled in a program established pursuant to section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph “m”.
   b.  (2)  Allow a licensee who has attained a teacher intern license pursuant to paragraph “a” subparagraph (1) to apply for an initial teaching license if the school that employed the licensee during the licensee’s completion of the program established pursuant to section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph “m”, and the higher education institution that operated the program recommend that the licensee be allowed to apply for an initial teaching license.
   b.  The rules adopted pursuant to paragraph “a” shall not require an individual who holds a master’s degree or higher in an endorsement area to convert the initial content specialist authorization to a content specialist authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial content specialist authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of a mentor teacher who holds a content specialist authorization.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.146, subsection 26, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   26.  a.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A that allow an individual seeking a career and technical secondary authorization to apply, and, if eligible, be issued the secondary authorization prior to accepting an offer of employment with a school.
   b.  The rules adopted pursuant to paragraph “a” shall not require an individual who has an initial career and technical secondary authorization to convert the initial career and technical secondary authorization to a career and technical secondary authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial career and technical secondary authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of an individual who has a career and technical secondary authorization.
   c.  The rules adopted pursuant to paragraph “a” shall require the board to issue an initial career and technical secondary authorization to an applicant who is a community college-employed instructor who meets the requirements established in section 260C.48, subsection 1, paragraph “a”; provided, however, that such an applicant shall be disqualified for any reason specified in subsection 13.
    Sec. 3.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to individuals who apply to the board of educational examiners for an initial content specialist authorization or an initial career and technical secondary authorization before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill modifies provisions related to content specialist authorizations and career and technical secondary authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE).
   Current law requires the BOEE to adopt rules to provide for nontraditional preparation options for licensing persons who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited or state-approved college or university, who do not meet other requirements for licensure. In accordance with this provision, the BOEE has established by rule a content specialist authorization, which is provided to applicants who have not completed a teacher preparation program but who hold a master’s degree or higher in an endorsement area. The bill provides that such rules shall not require an individual who holds a master’s degree or higher in an endorsement area to convert the initial content specialist authorization to a content specialist authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial content specialist authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of a mentor teacher who holds a content specialist authorization.
   These provisions apply to individuals who apply to the BOEE for an initial content specialist authorization before, on, or after the effective date of the bill.
   Current law requires the BOEE to adopt rules related to career and technical secondary authorizations. The bill provides that such rules shall not require an individual who has an initial career and technical secondary authorization to convert the initial career and technical secondary authorization to a career and technical secondary authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial career and technical secondary authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of an individual who has a career and technical secondary authorization. The bill also provides that such rules shall require the BOEE to issue an initial career and technical secondary authorization to an applicant who is a community college-employed instructor who meets the requirements established in Code section 260C.48 (standards for accrediting community college programs).
   These provisions apply to individuals who apply to the BOEE for an initial career and technical secondary authorization before, on, or after the effective date of the bill.