00CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 145(HES)                                                                                          
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 or examinations                                            
08 required by (i) of this 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 July 1, 1998, a person is not eligible for an initial regular                                       
02 teacher certificate unless the person has taken and successfully completed a                                            
03 competency examination or examinations designated, at the time the person took the                                      
04 test, by the board.  The board shall review nationally recognized examinations that are                                 
05 designed to test the competency of new teachers and shall designate those                                               
06 examinations that it finds adequately test the skills and abilities of new teachers.  For                               
07 each examination designated under this subsection, the board shall establish the                                        
08 minimum acceptable 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 regular teacher certificate on the effective date of this Act.                                
11    * Sec. 4.  The Department of Education shall report to the legislature by March 1, 1998,                             
12 on the examinations the department has selected in compliance with AS 14.20.020(i), enacted                             
13 by sec. 2 of this Act.  The department shall also report to the legislature by March 1, 1999,                           
14 on the progress made in using competency examinations in issuing initial regular teacher                                
15 certificates.