00                       CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 19(EDC)                                                                     
01 "An Act relating to instruction in a language other than English; and establishing                                      
02 limited language immersion teacher certificates."                                                                       
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 14.20 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
05 Sec. 14.20.023. Limited language immersion teacher certificates. (a)                                                  
06 Notwithstanding AS 14.20.020(b), the department may issue a limited language                                            
07 immersion teacher certificate, valid only in the area of expertise for which it is issued,                              
08 to a person qualified under (b) of this section to teach any subject if the language of                                 
09 instruction is not English and the instruction is provided only to students who are                                     
10       enrolled in a language immersion program.                                                                         
11 (b)  A person may apply for a limited language immersion teacher certificate                                            
12 under this section if the person is the subject of a request made under (c) of this                                     
13 section and demonstrates, as required by regulations adopted by the board,                                              
14 instructional skills and subject matter expertise sufficient to assure the public that the                              
01 person is competent as a teacher. The board may require a person issued a limited                                       
02 language immersion teacher certificate under this section to undertake academic                                         
03 training as may be required by the board by regulation and make satisfactory progress                                   
04       in the academic training.                                                                                         
05 (c)  The department may issue a limited language immersion teacher certificate                                          
06 under this section if the school board of the district or regional educational attendance                               
07 area in which an applicant for a limited language immersion teacher certificate will be                                 
08 teaching submits a request to the department for the limited language immersion                                         
09 teacher certificate to be issued to the applicant. A request for a limited language                                     
10 immersion teacher certificate under this section must specify the school district or                                    
11 regional educational attendance area, subject, and instructional language for which the                                 
12       certificate is valid.                                                                                             
13 (d)  The board may adopt regulations necessary to implement this section. The                                           
14 regulations may not require an applicant for a limited language immersion teacher                                       
15 certificate under this section to achieve a minimum score on an examination unless the                                  
16       examination is given in the instructional language for which the certificate is valid.                            
17 (e)  A limited language immersion teacher certificate issued under this section                                         
18 is initially valid for one year. The department may, in accordance with regulations                                     
19 adopted by the board, extend or renew a limited language immersion teacher                                              
20 certificate issued to a person under this section if the school board of the district or                                
21 regional educational attendance area in which the person is or will be teaching                                         
22 requests that the certificate be extended or renewed and certifies that the person has                                  
23       demonstrated skills in classroom instruction and student assessment.