1     
COMPETENCY LICENSING FOR EDUCATORS

2     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: David E. Lifferth

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends educator competency-based licensing requirements.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     amends educator competency-based licensing requirements; and
13          ▸     makes technical changes.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          53A-6-104.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 19
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 53A-6-104.5 is amended to read:
24          53A-6-104.5. Licensing by competency.
25          [(1) A competency-based license to teach may be issued based on the demonstrated
26     competence of a teacher as provided in this section.]
27          [(2)] (1) A local school board or charter school may request, and the State Board of

28     Education shall grant, upon receipt of documentation from the local school board or charter
29     school verifying the person's qualifications as specified in this section, a competency-based
30     license to a person who meets the qualifications specified in this section and Section
31     53A-6-401.
32          [(3)] (2) A local school board or charter school may request a competency-based
33     license if the candidate meets the following qualifications:
34          (a) a license candidate who teaches one or more core academic subjects in an
35     elementary school shall:
36          (i) hold at least a bachelor's degree; and
37          (ii) have demonstrated, by passing a rigorous state test, subject knowledge and teaching
38     skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school
39     curriculum;
40          (b) a license candidate who teaches one or more core academic subjects in a middle or
41     secondary school shall:
42          (i) hold at least a bachelor's degree; and
43          (ii) have demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects in
44     which the teacher teaches by:
45          (A) passing a rigorous state academic subject test in each of the academic subjects in
46     which the teacher teaches; or
47          (B) successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher
48     teaches, of an academic major, a graduate degree, course work equivalent to an undergraduate
49     academic major, or advanced certification or credentialing; or
50          (c) a license candidate who teaches subjects other than a core academic subject in an
51     elementary, middle, or high school shall:
52          (i) hold a bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or skill certification; and
53          (ii) have skills, talents, or abilities, as evaluated by the employing entity, that make the
54     person suited for the teaching position.
55          [(4) A school district or charter school:]
56          [(a) shall monitor and assess the performance of each teacher holding a
57     competency-based license; and]
58          [(b) may recommend that the competency-based license holder's training and

59     assessment be reviewed by the Utah State Office of Education for a level 1 license.]
60          (3) The board shall approve at least one competency-based teacher certification
61     program that:
62          (a) has issued at least five thousand teaching certifications nationally; or
63          (b) is approved for competency licensing by at least ten other states.
64          (4) (a) A competency-based license applicant may apply directly to the board for a
65     competency-based license.
66          (b) The board shall issue a competency-based license to an applicant described in
67     Subsection (4)(a) if the applicant:
68          (i) provides documentation that the applicant:
69          (A) holds a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited higher education or
70     postsecondary institution; and
71          (B) is certified in at least one subject area in a competency-based teacher certification
72     program described in Subsection (3); and
73          (ii) passes a background check described in Section 53A-6-401.
74          (c) In issuing a license under Subsection (4)(b), the board shall specify, based on an
75     applicant's certification area, which subject area the educator is qualified to teach.
76          (5) A school district or charter school:
77          (a) shall monitor and assess the performance of each teacher holding a
78     competency-based license; and
79          (b) may recommend that the competency-based license holder's training and
80     assessment be reviewed by the board for a level 1 license.






Legislative Review Note
     as of 2-5-15 10:04 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel