15-553. School districts and charter schools; classroom-based preparation program providers; teacher certification; rules

A. In addition to any alternative preparation program provider path approved by the state board of education, a school district or charter school may apply to the state board of education for authority to approve the certification of teachers as a classroom-based preparation program provider.

B. The state board of education shall adopt rules, policies and procedures to be administered by the department of education. The rules may not be more restrictive or require more than is prescribed in this subsection. The rules shall facilitate the approval and certification process pursuant to this section and provide for all of the following:

1. The superintendent of a school district or the principal of a charter school must verify that the applicant for certification has made satisfactory progress and achievement with students. A teacher who is teaching courses or subjects that are tested by the statewide assessment pursuant to section 15-741 may not receive a certificate pursuant to this section until the teacher has been in the classroom for at least two years and student data has been submitted by the school district or charter school confirming that the teacher's students, at the end of the school year, either are performing at grade level or have achieved at least one year of academic growth at a rate equivalent to the state average for the students' associated peer groups.

2. For informational purposes only, allow a school district or charter school to submit a program sequence or training schedule along with any information regarding mentoring and coaching of teacher candidates.

3. A school district or charter school must submit data supporting the efficacy of the school district's or charter school's teacher preparation program. A school district or charter school may contract with a third-party provider to provide the teacher preparation program and may use that program's efficacy data to meet the requirements of this paragraph.

4. A school district or charter school may adopt student achievement requirements that exceed the student achievement requirements prescribed by this section.

5. An applicant for certification pursuant to this section must hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited public or private postsecondary institution and meet background and fingerprint clearance card requirements pursuant to section 15-534.

6. An applicant pursuing certification pursuant to this section must demonstrate subject knowledge and professional knowledge through any available option pursuant to section 15-533.

C. On the submission of verification from a school district or charter school that the requirements prescribed in this section have been met, the state board shall issue a classroom-based standard teaching certificate to the teacher pursuant to section 15-203.

D. A school district or charter school may employ and enroll emergency teacher certification holders with a bachelor's degree into its classroom-based preparation program. Notwithstanding any other law and beginning in school year 2020-2021, a school district may hire and enroll into its classroom-based preparation program any teaching candidate who meets the requirements of subsection B, paragraph 5 of this section.