S.J.R. 1

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 Committee Note:
11 The Education Interim Committee recommended this bill.
12 General Description:
13 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages the advertisement of alternative
14 routes to teaching.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 . encourages the State Board of Education, superintendent of public instruction,
18 school districts, charter schools, and institutions of higher education to advertise
19 alternative routes to teaching, including placing prominent, simple information on
20 appropriate websites;
21 . requests that the superintendent of public instruction shall, in 2008, 2009, and
22 2010, annually send a letter to school district superintendents and principals to
23 encourage the training of administrators about the alternative routes to teacher
24 licensing, including the competency-based licensing program; and
25 . directs a copy of the resolution be sent to various parties.
26 Special Clauses:
27 None

28
29 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 WHEREAS, classroom teachers are the foundation of our State System of Public
31 Education;
32 WHEREAS, the nation and state face a growing teacher shortage, especially in critical
33 fields that include special education, mathematics, science, bilingual education, and technology
34 education;
35 WHEREAS, the state, school districts, and charter schools need to maximize strategies
36 that can produce more qualified teachers, especially in the critical fields;
37 WHEREAS, alternative routes to teaching programs are designed to provide for the
38 recruitment and development of teachers from the ranks of mid-career professionals, other
39 individuals with degrees, or people with specific competencies related to teaching, especially in
40 certain secondary subjects;
41 WHEREAS, the Legislature has specifically created an alternative preparation program
42 and a competency-based licensing program in statute;
43 WHEREAS, communication between state and local education entities, institutions of
44 higher education, higher education graduates, current students, and prospective students
45 relating to teaching opportunities and of the possible routes to qualify a person for a teaching
46 career is vital to the recruitment and development of all of the state's potential teachers; and
47 WHEREAS, superintendents and principals need to be fully informed about the
48 availability of alternative preparation programs and the competency-based licensing program:
49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages the State
50 Board of Education, superintendent of public instruction, school districts, charter schools, and
51 institutions of higher education to advertise alternative routes to teaching, including placing
52 prominent, simple information on appropriate websites.
53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the superintendent of
54 public instruction shall, in 2008, 2009, and 2010, annually send a letter to each school district
55 superintendent, school principal, and chief administrative officer of a charter school in this
56 state to encourage the training of administrators about the alternative routes to teacher
57 licensing, including the competency-based licensing program.
58 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State

59 Board of Education, the superintendent of public instruction, the Utah State Board of Regents,
60 the commissioner of higher education, the Utah School Superintendents Association, each
61 school district in the state, and the State Charter School Board.




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-16-07 10:00 AM

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