HASBSB197 BELLM 2860
SENATE SUMMARY OF HOUSE AMENDMENTS
SB 197 2023 Regular Session Peacock
KEYWORD AND SUMMARY AS RETURNED TO THE SENATE
TEACHERS. Provides relative to teacher certification. (gov sig)
SUMMARY OF HOUSE AMENDMENTS TO THE SENATE BILL
1. Add the requirements for a person with a bachelor's degree seeking to teach on a
provisional certificate in a shortage area in a secondary school to have graduated
from an accredited postsecondary education institution with at least a 2.50 average
on a 4.00 scale and to have passed all requisite examinations covering content
knowledge.
DIGEST OF THE SENATE BILL AS RETURNED TO THE SENATE
SB 197 Re-Reengrossed 2023 Regular Session Peacock
Present law requires the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to
provide for the certification of teachers, which includes qualifications and requirements to
indicate proficiency of the teacher to educate at the grade level and in the assigned
subjects.
Proposed law redesignates various provisions of present law relative to teacher and
educator certification and makes technical changes.
Present law requires certified teachers to have completed an approved teacher education
program and prescribes the minimum requirements for students entering an approved
teacher education program.
Proposed law provides for conditional acceptance of students into approved teacher
education programs.
Present law requires an applicant who participated in an undergraduate teacher education
program to take coursework in the teaching of reading. Allows any applicant who has
participated in any alternate teacher education program the option of either completing
the same coursework required of an undergraduate program applicant or possessing the
reading and literacy competencies identified in scientifically based reading research at the
national level and approved by BESE for the teaching of reading. Prohibits any secondary
teacher from using more than three semester hours of teaching of reading for certification
purposes.
Proposed law removes the maximum hours allowed to be used for certification purposes.
Requires each applicant, regardless of whether the applicant participated in an
undergraduate teacher education program, to meet at least one of the following
requirements:
(1)Complete the prescribed coursework.
(2)Possess the identified reading and literacy competencies.
Proposed law changes the recipient of required reports in present law from the legislature
to BESE and requires the posting of the reports on the BESE and state Department of
Education (LDOE) website.
Present law allows certain persons who have not completed an approved teacher
education program to teach on a provisional certificate in an area with a shortage of
certified teachers. HASBSB197 BELLM 2860
Proposed law provides that a person with a bachelor's degree may teach on a provisional
certificate in a shortage area in a secondary school if the person graduated from an
accredited postsecondary education institution with at least a 2.50 average on a 4.00 scale
and has passed all requisite examinations covering content knowledge.
Present law provides for the certification of principals and superintendents. Requires that
a principal who is certified from another state and who has four years of successful
experience in that state may be certified in Louisiana after one year of successful
employment in Louisiana as a principal. Further provides that an out-of-state principal
who has not passed the required assessment may be granted a three-year nonrenewable
provisional certificate in order to take the exam.
Proposed law removes the requirement that a successful out-of-state principal have one
year of successful employment prior to certification in Louisiana. Changes the length of
the provisional certificate to five years to match the provisions of teachers.
Present law requires BESE to prescribe the qualification standards for school
psychologists, which shall at a minimum be equal to the requirements set by the National
Association of School Psychologists. Further provides for the certification of persons who
meet those qualifications.
Proposed law allows BESE to deem certified a person who meets the qualifications.
Present law allows for certain individuals to appeal a denial of a certification. Further
prohibits appeals from persons who have been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to
certain crimes listed in R.S. 15:587.1(C). However, present law provides exceptions and
allows appeals from individuals convicted of or who have pled guilty to certain crimes
relative to the manufacture and distribution of drugs.
Proposed law removes the ability for any person who has been convicted of or pled nolo
contendere to the manufacture and distribution of drugs to appeal the denial of a teaching
certification.
Present law requires any person who has been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to a
felony offense to report the conviction or plea to the employing school district.
Proposed law requires the person to also report the conviction or plea to the LDOE.
Requires LDOE to revoke the certification of any person who has been convicted of or
who has entered a plea for a crime listed in R.S. 15:587.1(C).
Present law requires criminal history checks for both employment and certification
purposes. Requires the employer to run a check for employment purposes and LDOE to
run a check for credentialing purposes.
Proposed law requires LDOE to maintain and make available on its website the identity
of any person whose teaching certification or teaching authorization has been denied,
suspended, or revoked for any one of these reasons:
(1)The person has been convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in
present law (R.S. 15:587.1(C))for protection of children, or any felony, even if
adjudication was withheld or a pardon or expungement was granted.
(2)The person has been found to have submitted fraudulent documentation to BESE
or LDOE as part of an application for a teaching certificate or other teaching
authorization.
(3)The person has been found to have facilitated cheating on any state assessment as
determined by BESE.
Proposed law repeals present law provisions that prohibit BESE from limiting the number
of times a temporary teaching permit may be issued. HASBSB197 BELLM 2860
Proposed law repeals present law requiring BESE to issue teacher authorizations for
persons not required to be certified for the limited purposes of ascertaining whether the
person had submitted fraudulent documents or if proper background checks had been
done by the employing school.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 15:571.1(A), (B)(1)(a), (C)(intro para), (D)(2), and (E) and R.S. 17:7(6),
7.1, and 15(B) and (C); adds R.S. 17:8.1-8.9; repeals R.S. 17:7(6)(e) and (10))
______________________
LG Sullivan
Senate Counsel