General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5421
February Session, 2010 *_____HB05421HED___043010____*
General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 5421
February Session, 2010
*_____HB05421HED___043010____*
AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-155d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2010):
(a) The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall encourage and support experimentation and research in the preparation of teachers for public elementary and secondary schools. To help fulfill the purposes of this section, the Board of Governors of Higher Education shall appoint an advisory council composed of qualified professionals which shall render assistance and advice to the board. In carrying out its activities pursuant to this section, the board shall consult with the State Board of Education and such other agencies as it deems appropriate to assure coordination of all activities of the state relating to the preparation of teachers for public elementary and secondary schools.
(b) The Department of Higher Education, with the approval of the Commissioner of Education, shall expand, within available appropriations, participation in its summer alternate route to certification program and its weekend and evening alternate route to certification program. The department shall expand the weekend and evening program for participants seeking certification in a subject shortage area pursuant to section 10-8b. The department, in collaboration with the Department of Education, shall develop (1) a regional alternate route to certification program targeted to the subject shortage areas, and (2) an alternate route to certification program for former teachers whose certificates have expired and who are interested in resuming their teaching careers.
(c) The Department of Higher Education, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall develop alternate route to certification programs for (1) school administrators and superintendents, in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of this act, and (2) early childhood education teachers. The programs shall include mentored apprenticeships and criteria for admission to the programs.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2010) (a) The Department of Higher Education and the Department of Education shall develop an alternate route to certification program for school administrators and superintendents. Such alternate route to certification program shall be provided by public or independent institutions of higher education, regional educational service centers or private, nonprofit teacher or administrator training organizations approved by the State Board of Education.
(b) The alternate route to certification program for administrators and superintendents shall accept only those participants who (1) hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by the Board of Governors of Higher Education or regionally accredited, (2) have thirty months or more teaching experience in this state or another state, and (3) have demonstrated a record of effective leadership and effective teaching based on student achievement, as determined by the State Board of Education.
(c) The alternate route to certification program for administrators and superintendents shall require each participant to complete a one-year residency as an assistant principal under the guidance and supervision of a certified school principal, unless such participant attests to the program director that such participant has at least two years of successful work experience involving management of personnel.
(d) The alternate route to certification program for administrators and superintendents shall allow participants to demonstrate mastery of coursework, required pursuant to the regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-145d of the general statutes by (1) achieving a satisfactory score, as determined by the State Board of Education, on any appropriate State Board of Education approved assessment, or (2) demonstrating requisite experience relevant to administration and supervision, as determined by the State Board of Education.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (e) of section 10-145b of the general statutes, on and after July 1, 2010, the State Board of Education, upon receipt of a proper application, shall issue an initial educator certificate in the certification endorsement area of administration and supervision, which shall be valid for three years, to any person who (1) successfully completed the alternate route to certification program for administrators and superintendents pursuant to this section, and (2) meets the requirements established in subsection (b) of section 10-145f of the general statutes.
Sec. 3. Subdivision (1) of subsection (h) of section 10-145b of the 2010 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2010):
(h) (1) Unless otherwise provided in regulations adopted under section 10-145d, in not less than three years or more than eight years after the issuance of a provisional educator certificate pursuant to subsection (e) of this section and upon the statement of the superintendent, or the superintendent's designee, in whose school district such certificate holder was employed, or the supervisory agent of a nonpublic school approved by the State Board of Education, in whose school such certificate holder was employed, that the provisional educator certificate holder and such superintendent, or such superintendent's designee, or supervisory agent have mutually determined or approved an individual program pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of this section and upon the statement of such superintendent, or such superintendent's designee, or supervisory agent that such certificate holder has a record of competency in the discharge of such certificate holder's duties during such provisional period, the state board upon receipt of a proper application shall issue such certificate holder a professional educator certificate. A signed recommendation from the superintendent of schools, or the superintendent's designee, for the local or regional board of education or from the supervisory agent of a nonpublic school approved by the State Board of Education shall be evidence of competency. Such recommendation shall state that the person who holds or has held a provisional educator certificate has successfully completed at least three school years of satisfactory teaching for one or more local or regional boards of education or such nonpublic schools. Each applicant for a certificate pursuant to this subsection shall provide to the Department of Education, in such manner and form as prescribed by the commissioner, evidence that the applicant has successfully completed coursework pursuant to subsection (g) of this section, as appropriate. [Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, on and after July 1, 2012, experience teaching in a nonpublic school shall not be accepted for purposes of issuing a professional educator certificate, but may be accepted to renew the provisional educator certificate.]
Sec. 4. Section 10-145a of the 2010 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2010):
(a) The State Board of Education may, in accordance with section 10-19 and such regulations and qualifications as it prescribes, issue certificates of qualification to teach, to administer, to supervise or to serve in other positions requiring certification pursuant to regulations adopted by the State Board of Education in any public school in the state and may revoke the same. Any such regulations shall provide that the qualifications to maintain any administrator, supervisor or special service certificate shall incorporate the continuing education provisions of subsection (i) of section 10-145b. The certificates of qualification issued under this section shall be accepted by boards of education in lieu of any other certificate, provided additional qualifications may be required by a board of education, in which case the state certificate shall be accepted for such subjects as it includes.
(b) Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be encouraged to successfully complete an intergroup relations component of such a program which shall be developed with the participation of both sexes, and persons of various ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds. Such intergroup relations program shall have the following objectives: (1) The imparting of an appreciation of the contributions to American civilization of the various ethnic, cultural and economic groups composing American society and an understanding of the life styles of such groups; (2) the counteracting of biases, discrimination and prejudices; and (3) the assurance of respect for human diversity and personal rights. The State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of Higher Education, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women shall establish a joint committee composed of members of the four agencies, which shall develop and implement such programs in intergroup relations.
(c) Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be encouraged to complete a (1) health component of such a program, which includes, but need not be limited to, human growth and development, nutrition, first aid, disease prevention and community and consumer health, and (2) mental health component of such a program, which includes, but need not be limited to, youth suicide, child abuse and alcohol and drug abuse.
(d) Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be encouraged to complete a school violence, bullying and suicide prevention and conflict resolution component of such a program.
(e) On and after July 1, 1998, any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall complete a computer and other information technology skills component of such program, as applied to student learning and classroom instruction, communications and data management.
(f) On and after July 1, 2006, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall include, as part of the curriculum, instruction in literacy skills and processes that reflects current research and best practices in the field of literacy training. Such instruction shall be incorporated into requirements of student major and concentration.
(g) On and after July 1, 2006, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall include, as part of the curriculum, instruction in the concepts of second language learning and second language acquisition and processes that reflects current research and best practices in the field of second language learning and second language acquisition. Such instruction shall be incorporated into requirements of student major and concentration.
(h) On and after July 1, 2010, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification may permit teaching experience in a nonpublic school, approved by the State Board of Education, and offered through a public or private institution of higher education to count towards the preparation and eligibility requirements for an initial educator certificate.
[(h)] (i) On and after July 1, 2012, any candidate entering a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be required to complete training in competency areas contained in the professional teaching standards established by the State Board of Education, including, but not limited to, development and characteristics of learners, evidence-based and standards-based instruction, evidence-based classroom and behavior management, and assessment and professional behaviors and responsibilities.
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-220a of the 2010 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2010):
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) the nature and the relationship of drugs, as defined in subdivision (17) of section 21a-240, and alcohol to health and personality development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education which includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in section 19a-581, violence, child abuse and youth suicide, (3) the growth and development of exceptional children, including handicapped and gifted and talented children and children who may require special education, including, but not limited to, children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or learning disabilities, and methods for identifying, planning for and working effectively with special needs children in a regular classroom, (4) school violence prevention, conflict resolution and prevention of bullying, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-222d, except that those boards of education that implement an evidence-based model approach, consistent with subsection (d) of section 10-145a, subsection (a) of section 10-220a, sections 10-222d, 10-222g and 10-222h, subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-service training on prevention of bullying, (5) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (6) computer and other information technology as applied to student learning and classroom instruction, communications and data management, (7) the teaching of the language arts, reading and reading readiness for teachers in grades kindergarten to three, inclusive, including, but not limited to, scientifically-based reading research models, as described by the No Child Left Behind Act, P.L. 107-110, and (8) second language acquisition in districts required to provide a program of bilingual education pursuant to section 10-17f. The State Board of Education, within available appropriations and utilizing available materials, shall assist and encourage local and regional boards of education to include: (A) Holocaust education and awareness; (B) the historical events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland; (C) African-American history; (D) Puerto Rican history; (E) Native American history; (F) personal financial management; and (G) topics approved by the state board upon the request of local or regional boards of education as part of in-service training programs pursuant to this subsection.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2010 10-155d
Sec. 2 July 1, 2010 New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2010 10-145b(h)(1)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2010 10-145a
Sec. 5 July 1, 2010 10-220a(a)
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
July 1, 2010
10-155d
Sec. 2
July 1, 2010
New section
Sec. 3
July 1, 2010
10-145b(h)(1)
Sec. 4
July 1, 2010
10-145a
Sec. 5
July 1, 2010
10-220a(a)
ED Joint Favorable Subst.
APP Joint Favorable
HED Joint Favorable
ED
Joint Favorable Subst.
APP
Joint Favorable
HED
Joint Favorable