S.J.R. 1 Enrolled

1

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE
2 ADVERTISEMENT OF ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
3 TO TEACHING
4 2008 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Margaret Dayton
7 House Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages the advertisement of alternative
12 routes to teaching.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . encourages the State Board of Education, superintendent of public instruction,
16 school districts, charter schools, and institutions of higher education to advertise
17 alternative routes to teaching, including placing prominent, simple information on
18 appropriate websites;
19 . requests that the superintendent of public instruction shall, in 2008, 2009, and 2010,
20 annually send a letter to school district superintendents and principals to encourage
21 the training of administrators about the alternative routes to teacher licensing,
22 including the competency-based licensing program; and
23 . directs that a copy of the resolution be sent to various parties.
24 Special Clauses:
25 None
26
27 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
28 WHEREAS, classroom teachers are the foundation of our State System of Public
29 Education;

30 WHEREAS, the nation and state face a growing teacher shortage, especially in critical
31 fields that include special education, mathematics, science, bilingual education, and technology
32 education;
33 WHEREAS, the state, school districts, and charter schools need to maximize strategies
34 that can produce more qualified teachers, especially in the critical fields;
35 WHEREAS, alternative routes to teaching programs are designed to provide for the
36 recruitment and development of teachers from the ranks of mid-career professionals, other
37 individuals with degrees, or people with specific competencies related to teaching, especially in
38 certain secondary subjects;
39 WHEREAS, the Legislature has specifically created an alternative preparation program
40 and a competency-based licensing program in statute;
41 WHEREAS, communication between state and local education entities, institutions of
42 higher education, higher education graduates, current students, and prospective students
43 relating to teaching opportunities and of the possible routes to qualify a person for a teaching
44 career is vital to the recruitment and development of all of the state's potential teachers; and
45 WHEREAS, superintendents and principals need to be fully informed about the
46 availability of alternative preparation programs and the competency-based licensing program:
47 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages the State
48 Board of Education, superintendent of public instruction, school districts, charter schools, and
49 institutions of higher education to advertise alternative routes to teaching, including placing
50 prominent, simple information on appropriate websites.
51 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the superintendent of
52 public instruction shall, in 2008, 2009, and 2010, annually send a letter to each school district
53 superintendent, school principal, and chief administrative officer of a charter school in this state
54 to encourage the training of administrators about the alternative routes to teacher licensing,
55 including the competency-based licensing program.
56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
57 Board of Education, the superintendent of public instruction, the Utah State Board of Regents,

58 the commissioner of higher education, the Utah School Superintendents Association, each
59 school district in the state, and the State Charter School Board.