Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5794 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 5794
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7	7	LC001757
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Giraldo, Morales, Kislak, Casimiro, Cruz, Potter, Voas,
17	17	and Biah
18	18	Date Introduced: February 22, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Sections 16-11-2.3 and 16-11-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11 entitled 1
24	24	"Certification of Teachers [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" 2
25	25	are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
26	26	16-11-2.3. Standardized testing — Issuance of certificates. 4
27	27	(a) No person who obtained an initial certificate prior to January 8, 2002 shall be barred 5
28	28	from certification under this chapter solely because of his or her score on any standardized teacher’s 6
29	29	examination; provided, however, that he or she successfully completes an assessment, based on 7
30	30	criteria established by the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, in accordance 8
31	31	with 34 CFR § 200.56. 9
32	32	(b) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education may administer a written 10
33	33	examination to prospective teachers seeking certification. 11
34	34	(c) Effective July 1, 2023, all currently certified teachers as of July 1, 2023, shall have their 12
35	35	certifications automatically extended for three (3) years, without fee or penalty. This shall include 13
36	36	all teacher certifications issued by the board of education or the department of education, including, 14
37	37	but not limited to, emergency certifications with conditions. 15
38	38	(d) In order to promote teacher recruitment, for the three (3) year period from July 1, 2023, 16
39	39	through to June 30, 2026 (the "period"), the board of education shall waive all fees to apply for a 17
40	40	teacher initial certification for that period, and shall waive all Praxis examination fees for that year 18
41	41	period. 19
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45	45	16-11-3. Certificates without examination. 1
46	46	(a) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education may, in its discretion, 2
47	47	issue certificates of qualification without examination to persons who may present evidence of 3
48	48	qualification and shall comply with the regulations of the board. Provided, that any teacher who is 4
49	49	certified in two (2) fields or subjects of science, other than general science, shall also be 5
50	50	automatically certified in the field or subject of general science without the need for examination 6
51	51	or other proof of qualifications in the subject of general science. 7
52	52	(b) Any teacher holding a valid Rhode Island teacher certification and who has at least 8
53	53	three (3) years of certified teaching experience, shall be allowed to acquire an additional 9
54	54	certification(s) through examination or content coursework so long as the teacher has a minimum 10
55	55	of three (3) years of certified teaching experience. 11
56	56	SECTION 3. Chapter 16-11 of the General Laws entitled "Certification of Teachers [See 12
57	57	Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding 13
58	58	thereto the following section: 14
59	59	16-11-11. Educator preparation programs. 15
60	60	The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall review and 16
61	61	revise as necessary its rules and regulations governing the licensure of teachers and administrators. 17
62	62	The rules and regulations shall be revised so as to create and permit multiple pathways and 18
63	63	flexibility in the credential requirements for both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate degrees to 19
64	64	obtain teacher or administrator certification. In so promulgating these rules and regulations, or 20
65	65	revisions thereto, the department may incorporate awarding credit for non-traditional classes, 21
66	66	work/life experience that is deemed tantamount to formal classwork, and permitting teacher and 22
67	67	administrator candidates to obtain course credit by demonstrating course competency through a test 23
68	68	or other demonstration of competency so as to allow waiver of the course and to provide credit for 24
69	69	the course. 25
70	70	SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. 26
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72	72	LC001757
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77	77	EXPLANATION
78	78	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
79	79	OF
80	80	A N A C T
81	81	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
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83	83	This act would extend teacher certifications without fee or penalty for three (3) years for 1
84	84	teachers who hold certifications as of July 1, 2023. In addition, during this period, fees for initial 2
85	85	certification and for the Praxis examination to certification fees would also be waived. This act 3
86	86	would permit a teacher who has three (3) years of certified teaching experience, to acquire an 4
87	87	additional certification through examination or content coursework. This act would also direct the 5
88	88	department of elementary and secondary education to revise its regulations pertaining to 6
89	89	certification to create multiple pathways to obtain teacher and administrator certification. 7
90	90	This act would take effect upon passage. 8
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92	92	LC001757
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