Modifying provisions related to content specialist authorizations and career and technical secondary authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners and including applicability provisions

This bill modifies provisions related to content specialist authorizations and career and technical secondary authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE). Current law requires the BOEE to adopt rules to provide for nontraditional preparation options for licensing persons who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited or state-approved college or university, who do not meet other requirements for licensure. In accordance with this provision, the BOEE has established by rule a content specialist authorization, which is provided to applicants who have not completed a teacher preparation program but who hold a master’s degree or higher in an endorsement area. The bill provides that such rules shall not require an individual who holds a master’s degree or higher in an endorsement area to convert the initial content specialist authorization to a content specialist authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial content specialist authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of a mentor teacher who holds a content specialist authorization. These provisions apply to individuals who apply to the BOEE for an initial content specialist authorization before, on, or after the effective date of the bill. Current law requires the BOEE to adopt rules related to career and technical secondary authorizations. The bill provides that such rules shall not require an individual who has an initial career and technical secondary authorization to convert the initial career and technical secondary authorization to a career and technical secondary authorization. Instead, the individual may continue to teach under the initial career and technical secondary authorization after the initial three-year period so long as the individual is working under the direction of an individual who has a career and technical secondary authorization.48 (standards for accrediting community college programs). These provisions apply to individuals who apply to the BOEE for an initial career and technical secondary authorization before, on, or after the effective date of the bill.