CSSB 20(EDC): "An Act relating to teaching certificates for teachers holding out-of-state certificates."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 20(EDC) 01 "An Act relating to teaching certificates for teachers holding out-of-state certificates." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 14.20.010 is amended to read: 04 Sec. 14.20.010. Teacher certificate required. A person may not be employed 05 as a teacher in the public schools of the state unless that person possesses a valid 06 teacher certificate except that a person who has made application to the department for 07 a teacher certificate [, INCLUDING A PRELIMINARY TEACHER CERTIFICATE 08 UNDER AS 14.20.015,] or renewal of a teacher certificate that has not been acted on 09 [UPON] by the department may be employed as a teacher in the public schools of the 10 state until the department has taken action on the application, but in no case may 11 employment without a certificate last longer than three months. A person who has 12 made application for a certificate under this section may teach for an additional 60 13 days beyond three months without a certificate if the department grants a written 14 extension. An extension may be granted under this section for not more than 60 days 15 to the person solely due to delay in the department's receipt of criminal justice
01 information under AS 12.62 or a national criminal history record check under 02 AS 12.62.400. 03 * Sec. 2. AS 14.20.015(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) Notwithstanding the requirements of AS 14.20.020, the [THE] 05 department shall issue a [PRELIMINARY] teacher certificate to an out-of-state 06 teacher who meets the requirements of this section. To be eligible for a 07 [PRELIMINARY] teacher certificate under this section, a person shall 08 (1) have received at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution of 09 higher education accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association or 10 approved by the commissioner; 11 (2) hold a valid teacher certificate issued by another state; 12 (3) have submitted fingerprints to the department to be used for a 13 criminal history background check and been found by the department to be suitable for 14 employment as a teacher under AS 14.20.020(f); 15 (4) have paid the fee required by the department under 16 AS 14.20.020(c). 17 * Sec. 3. AS 14.20.015(b) is amended to read: 18 (b) An out-of-state teacher who has been issued a [PRELIMINARY] teacher 19 certificate under this section shall complete the education and training 20 requirements under AS 14.20.020(h) and (k) within two years [PASS THE 21 COMPETENCY EXAMINATION DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD UNDER 22 AS 14.20.020(i) WITHIN ONE YEAR] after the date the [PRELIMINARY] teacher 23 certificate was issued. If the teacher does not complete the education and training 24 requirements within that two-year period [PASS THE EXAMINATION], the 25 department shall immediately revoke the teacher's [PRELIMINARY] teacher 26 certificate. 27 * Sec. 4. AS 14.20.015(c) is amended to read: 28 (c) The [PRELIMINARY] teacher certificate issued under this section must 29 contain the same endorsements as those on the current valid teacher certificate issued 30 by the other state. 31 * Sec. 5. AS 14.20.015 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
01 (g) The department shall by regulation adopt a process to expedite issuance of 02 a certificate to the spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United 03 States. 04 * Sec. 6. AS 14.20.020(h) is amended to read: 05 (h) Except as provided in AS 14.20.015, a [A] person is not eligible for a 06 teacher certificate unless the person has completed three semester hours in Alaska 07 studies and three semester hours in multicultural education or cross-cultural 08 communications. However, the commissioner may issue a provisional certificate, valid 09 for no longer than two years, to an applicant who has not completed the semester 10 hours required under this subsection at the time of application. 11 * Sec. 7. AS 14.20.020(k) is amended to read: 12 (k) Except as provided in AS 14.20.015, a [A] person is not eligible for a 13 teacher certificate unless the person has completed training regarding alcohol and drug 14 related disabilities required under AS 14.20.680, training regarding sexual abuse and 15 sexual assault awareness and prevention required under AS 14.30.355, training 16 regarding dating violence and abuse awareness and prevention required under 17 AS 14.30.356, and training related to suicide prevention required under AS 14.30.362. 18 * Sec. 8. AS 14.20.015(d), 14.20.015(e), and 14.20.015(f) are repealed.