S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.16, subsection 1, Code 2026, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraphs: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . p. (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, include 3 clinical experiences and preparation to prepare students 4 admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program to 5 serve students with disabilities and English learners that 6 incorporates knowledge, skills, and dispositions for each 7 student admitted to an approved practitioner preparation 8 program. 9 (2) The rules adopted by the state board pursuant to this 10 paragraph must prescribe practicum and clinical experience 11 standards for all higher education institutions providing 12 practitioner preparation related to serving students with 13 disabilities and English learners, differentiated by standards 14 that are applicable to all students admitted to an approved 15 practitioner preparation program in addition to standards that 16 are applicable to students who are seeking an endorsement in 17 special education or English learner instruction. 18 (a) Clinical experiences for all students admitted to 19 an approved practitioner preparation program must include a 20 minimum of fifteen practicum hours focused on differentiation 21 of instruction and support for special populations, including 22 supporting English learners, special education experiences, and 23 instructional implementation and progress monitoring applicable 24 to individualized education programs. 25 (b) Clinical experiences for students admitted to an 26 approved practitioner preparation program who are seeking 27 an endorsement in English learner instruction must include 28 a minimum of forty practicum hours, inclusive of methods of 29 teaching English to English learners in both elementary and 30 secondary school settings. 31 (3) The department shall establish a process to routinely 32 review and provide ongoing support for the adoption and 33 implementation of standards for preparation of teacher and 34 administrator candidates in serving students with disabilities 35 -1- LSB 5498XD (5) 91 jda/jh 1/ 5

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ and English learners. 1 NEW PARAGRAPH . q. (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, administer 2 prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation 3 program, and require that each student complete, a summative 4 end-of-program assessment that is designed to measure the 5 student’s preparation in content areas that are required for 6 the endorsement area in which the student will be teaching, 7 and that was distributed to the higher education institution 8 providing practitioner preparation by the department pursuant 9 to subparagraph (2). A higher education institution providing 10 practitioner preparation shall identify appropriate student 11 remediation opportunities in endorsement areas by analyzing 12 student performance on the summative end-of-program assessment 13 described in this subparagraph compared to the score set by the 14 department pursuant to subparagraph (2). 15 (2) (a) On or before July 1, 2027, the department shall 16 identify and distribute to all higher education institutions 17 providing practitioner preparation a unified, valid, and 18 reliable summative end-of-program assessment required for each 19 endorsement area. The department shall set the minimum score 20 for each summative end-of-program assessment identified and 21 distributed pursuant to this subparagraph subdivision that will 22 be used to determine mastery of content by a student enrolled 23 in the practitioner preparation program. 24 (b) If, subsequent to July 1, 2027, the department creates 25 a new endorsement area, then the department shall identify 26 and distribute to all higher education institutions providing 27 practitioner preparation a unified, valid, and reliable 28 summative end-of-program assessment required for the new 29 endorsement area as soon as is reasonably possible after the 30 creation of the new endorsement area. The department shall set 31 the minimum score for each summative end-of-program assessment 32 identified and distributed pursuant to this subparagraph 33 subdivision that will be used to determine mastery of content 34 by a student enrolled in the practitioner preparation program. 35 -2- LSB 5498XD (5) 91 jda/jh 2/ 5

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ (3) (a) Report to the department, in the form and manner 1 prescribed by the department, information related to the scores 2 attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment 3 administered pursuant to subparagraph (1). 4 (b) Beginning August 1, 2028, the department shall publish 5 on the department’s internet site all of the following: 6 (i) Program-level data related to the passage rates 7 attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment 8 administered pursuant to subparagraph (1). 9 (ii) Efforts the department has made to support the higher 10 education institutions providing practitioner preparation in 11 the implementation of curriculum improvements, remediation 12 techniques, and program evaluation. 13 (iii) Examples of program remediation and assessment plans 14 that higher education institutions providing practitioner 15 preparation have provided to students who scored below the 16 minimum score set by the department pursuant to subparagraph 17 (2) prior to the student’s completion of the practitioner 18 preparation program. 19 Sec. 2. Section 256.16, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 20 following new subsection: 21 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. For purposes of this section, “English 22 learner” means the same as defined in section 280.4. 23 Sec. 3. Section 256.146, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 24 following new subsection: 25 NEW SUBSECTION . 28. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 26 that require an individual who has applied to a school to 27 teach in a special education setting to complete a self-paced 28 course created by the department of education as a condition 29 of awarding the individual a class B license or a conditional 30 license. The self-paced course must include content related to 31 basic special education laws, assessment procedures, and other 32 essential competencies. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -3- LSB 5498XD (5) 91 jda/jh 3/ 5

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill relates to teacher education and licensing, 2 including by modifying provisions related to practitioner 3 preparation programs and licenses issued by the board of 4 educational examiners (BOEE). 5 Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires higher education 6 institutions providing practitioner preparation to include 7 clinical experiences and preparation to prepare students 8 admitted to a practitioner preparation program to serve 9 students with disabilities and English learners. The rules 10 adopted by the state board pursuant to this provision must 11 prescribe practicum and clinical experience standards for 12 practitioner preparation programs related to serving students 13 with disabilities and English learners. Clinical experiences 14 for all students are required to include a minimum of 15 15 practicum hours focused on differentiation of instruction 16 and support for special populations. Meanwhile, clinical 17 experiences for students who are seeking an endorsement in 18 English learner instruction must include a minimum of 40 19 practicum hours, inclusive of methods of teaching English 20 to English learners in both elementary and secondary school 21 settings. The bill requires the department of education 22 (DE) to establish a process to review and provide ongoing 23 support for the adoption and implementation of standards for 24 preparation of teacher and administrator candidates in serving 25 students with disabilities and English learners. 26 Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires higher education 27 institutions providing practitioner preparation to administer 28 prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation 29 program a summative end-of-program assessment that is designed 30 to measure the student’s preparation in content areas that are 31 required for the endorsement area in which the student will 32 be teaching, and that was distributed to the higher education 33 institution by DE pursuant to the bill’s provisions. 34 The bill requires DE to, on or before July 1, 2027, identify 35 -4- LSB 5498XD (5) 91 jda/jh 4/ 5

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ and distribute to all higher education institutions providing 1 practitioner preparation a summative end-of-program assessment 2 required for each endorsement area. If DE creates a new 3 endorsement area after July 1, 2027, the bill requires DE to 4 identify and distribute to all higher education institutions 5 providing practitioner preparation a summative end-of-program 6 assessment required for the new endorsement area. DE 7 is required to set the minimum score for each summative 8 end-of-program assessment that will be used to determine 9 mastery of content by a student enrolled in a practitioner 10 preparation program. 11 Higher education institutions are required to report to 12 DE information related to the scores attained by students on 13 the summative end-of-program assessment. Beginning August 1, 14 2028, the bill requires DE to publish on the DE’s internet 15 site passage rates attained by students on the summative 16 end-of-program assessment, information related to efforts 17 DE has made to support the higher education institutions in 18 certain specified areas, and examples of program remediation 19 and assessment plans that higher education institutions have 20 provided to students who scored below the minimum score set by 21 DE. 22 BOEE is required to adopt rules requiring an individual who 23 has applied to a school to teach in a special education setting 24 to complete a self-paced course created by DE as a condition 25 of awarding the individual a class B license or a conditional 26 license. 27 -5- LSB 5498XD (5) 91 jda/jh 5/ 5