EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0888*
HOUSE BILL 888
F1, F5 3lr2114
CF 3lr2115
By: Delegates Solomon, Henson, D. Jones, Love, and Shetty
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2023
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Prekindergarten Alternative Teacher Preparation Program – 2
Authorization and Reporting 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing prekindergarten alternative teacher preparation 4
programs; altering certain reporting requirements to include reports on 5
prekindergarten alternative teacher preparation programs; altering the high staff 6
qualifications for ensuring the program quality of eligible prekindergarten providers 7
beginning in a certain year; and generally relating to prekindergarten alternative 8
teacher programs. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Education 11
Section 5–401(a) and (b), 5–413(a), and 7–1A–01(a), (c), (d), and (e) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Education 16
Section 5–408(a)(3), 5–413(b)(12), 6–120(a) and (b), 6–126(a), and 7–1A–04(a)(1)(i) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2022 Replacement Volume) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Education 22
5–401. 23
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 24
2 HOUSE BILL 888
(b) “Board” means the Accountability and Implementation Board. 1
5–408. 2
(a) In order to meet its obligation to track whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s 3
Future is progressing according to plan, the Board shall: 4
(3) Monitor and review the performance of each teacher preparation 5
program at an institution of higher education [and], AN alternative teacher preparation 6
program, AND A PREKINDERGARTE N ALTERNATIVE TEACHE R PREPARATION 7
PROGRAM ; 8
5–413. 9
(a) On or before July 1 each year, beginning in 2022 and ending in 2031, the 10
Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center, in consultation with the Department and the 11
Maryland Higher Education Commission, shall submit a report to the Board, the Governor, 12
and in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly 13
on the progress made in increasing the preparation and diversity of teacher candidates and 14
new teachers in the State as required by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 15
(b) The report required under subsection (a) of this section shall include: 16
(12) Trends in the number of teacher candidates of color hired by local school 17
systems disaggregated by higher education institution [and], alternative teacher 18
preparation program, AND PREKINDERGARTEN ALTERNATIVE TEACHER 19
PREPARATION PROGRAM and the systems, IF APPLICABLE, in which those new teachers 20
were hired; and 21
6–120. 22
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 23
(2) “Alternative teacher preparation program” means a pro gram 24
[established] THAT: 25
(I) IS ESTABLISHED by a county board [and approved] OR 26
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION; 27
(II) IS APPROVED by the State Superintendent [that:]; AND 28
[(i)] (III) 1. Leads to a participant receiving a Resident Teacher 29
Certificate issued by the Department; and 30
[(ii)] 2. Includes teaching assignments with supervision and 31
mentoring by a qualified teacher. 32 HOUSE BILL 888 3
(3) “ELIGIBLE PREKINDERGAR TEN PROVIDER ” HAS THE MEANING 1
STATED IN § 7–1A–01 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2
[(3)] (4) “Partner school” means a local school system, ELIGIBLE 3
PREKINDERGARTEN PROV IDER, nonpublic school, or nonpublic special education school 4
that has a written partnership agreement with an institution of higher education [or], 5
alternative teacher preparation program, OR PREKINDERGARTEN A LTERNATIVE 6
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM to provide a teacher training practicum for 7
participants enrolled in a teacher preparation program at the institution of higher 8
education [or], alternative teacher preparation program, OR PREKINDERGARTEN 9
ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM . 10
(5) “PREKINDERGARTEN ALTER NATIVE TEACHER PREPA RATION 11
PROGRAM” MEANS A PROGRAM ESTA BLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT , A COUNTY 12
BOARD, AN INSTITUTION OF HI GHER EDUCATION , OR A NONPROFIT ORGAN IZATION 13
AND APPROVED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT THAT : 14
(I) FOCUSES ON EARLY CHIL DHOOD COURSEWORK ; 15
(II) REQUIRES A PARTICIPAN T TO COMPLETE A RESI DENCY: 16
1. WITH AN ELIGIBLE PREK INDERGARTEN PROVIDER 17
OR A PROGRAM EQUIVAL ENT TO THE PROGRAM O FFERED BY AN ELIGIB LE 18
PREKINDERGARTEN PROV IDER; AND 19
2. THAT MAY INCLUDE : 20
A. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODULES; 21
B. STACKABLE CREDENTIALS ; OR 22
C. STATE CREDENTIAL PROG RAM ALIGNMENT ; AND 23
(III) LEADS TO A PARTICIPAN T RECEIVING A RESIDENT 24
TEACHER CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 25
(b) (1) Each participant in an undergraduate and a graduate teacher 26
preparation program shall complete a teacher training practicum as a requirement for 27
graduation. 28
(2) An alternative teacher preparation program AND A 29
PREKINDERGARTEN ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM shall require 30
each participant to successfully complete a teacher training practicum. 31 4 HOUSE BILL 888
6–126. 1
(a) (1) This subsection applies to [individuals] AN INDIVIDUAL who [have] 2
HAS graduated from a teacher preparation program approved by the Department [or], an 3
alternative teacher preparation program, OR A PREKINDERGARTEN ALTERNATIVE 4
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM . 5
(2) Beginning on July 1, 2025, to qualify for an initial certificate an 6
individual shall: 7
(i) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, pass a nationally 8
recognized, portfolio–based assessment of teaching ability; 9
(ii) Pass a rigorous State–specific examination of mastery of reading 10
instruction and content for the grade level the individual will be teaching; and 11
(iii) Satisfactorily complete any other requirements established by 12
the State Board. 13
(3) An individual who graduates from a teacher preparation program in 14
the State who passed a nationally recognized, portfolio–based assessment as a requirement 15
to graduate under § 6–121 of this subtitle may not be required to take the assessment more 16
than one time. 17
7–1A–01. 18
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 19
(c) “Eligible prekindergarten provider” includes an: 20
(1) Eligible public provider; and 21
(2) Eligible private provider. 22
(d) (1) “Eligible private provider” means a community–based early learning 23
program that: 24
(i) Is licensed in the State; 25
(ii) Does not charge more tuition for full–day prekindergarten than 26
the cost of quality; and 27
(iii) Meets the requirements under § 7–1A–04 of this subtitle. 28
(2) “Eligible private provider” includes the Ulysses Currie Head Start 29
Program under § 5–231 of this article. 30 HOUSE BILL 888 5
(e) “Eligible public provider” means an early learning program that: 1
(1) Is provided by a county board at a public school; and 2
(2) Meets the requirements under § 7–1A–04 of this subtitle. 3
7–1A–04. 4
(a) All eligible prekindergarten providers shall include structural elements that 5
are evidence–based and nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality, 6
including: 7
(1) Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year: 8
(i) High staff qualifications, including teachers who, at a minimum, 9
hold: 10
1. State certification for teaching in early childhood 11
education; or 12
2. A bachelor’s degree in any field and are pursuing 13
residency through the Maryland Approved PREKINDERGARTEN Alternative TEACHER 14
Preparation Program, which includes early childhood coursework, clinical practice, and 15
evidence of pedagogical content knowledge; and 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2023. 18