00HOUSE BILL NO. 145                                                                                                      
01 "An Act relating to certification of teachers."                                                                         
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 14.20.020(b) is amended to read:                                                                    
04  (b)  A person is not eligible for a teacher certificate unless that person has                                        
05 received at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education                                        
06 accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association or approved by the                                          
07 commissioner and, if applicable, has passed the examination required by (i) of this                                    
08 section.  However, this subsection is not applicable to                                                                
09   (1)  persons employed in the state public school system on September 1,                                              
10 1962;                                                                                                                   
11   (2)  persons issued an emergency certificate during a situation that                                               
12 [WHICH], in the judgment of the commissioner, requires the temporary issuance of                                        
13 a certificate to a person not otherwise qualified.                                                                      
14    * Sec. 2.  AS 14.20.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                               

01  (i)  Beginning on the effective date of this Act, a person is not eligible for a                                      
02 teacher certificate unless the person has taken and successfully completed a                                            
03 competency examination designated, at the time the person took the test, by the board.                                  
04 The board shall review nationally recognized examinations that are designed to test the                                 
05 competency of new teachers and shall designate those examinations that it finds                                         
06 adequately test the skills and abilities of new teachers.  For each examination                                         
07 designated under this subsection, the board shall establish the minimum acceptable                                      
08 level of performance.                                                                                                   
09    * Sec. 3.  The requirements for examination established in this Act do not apply to a                                
10 teacher who holds a valid type A certificate on the effective date of this Act.