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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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