SB 154 — Teachers; licensure by reciprocity for military spouses, timeline for determination.

SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2022 SESSION CHAPTER E545 An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to applications for teacher licensure by reciprocity;

R O [S 154] Approved LApril L11, 2022 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

E § 22.1-298.1.

DA. "Alternate route to licensure" means a nontraditional route to teacher licensure available to individuals who meet the criteria specified in the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection N or regulations issued by the Board of Education.

"IndustryAs certificationused credential" means an active career and technical education credential that is earned by successfully completing a Board of Education-approved industry certification examination, being issued a professional license in thethis Commonwealth,section: or successfully completing an occupational competency examination.

B"Alternate "Licensureroute byto reciprocity"licensure" means a processnontraditional usedroute to issueteacher alicensure licenseavailable to anindividuals individualwho comingmeet i5to the ofcriteria Education's regulations.tate when that individual meets certain conditions specified in the Eoardguidelines "Professionaldeveloped teacher'spursuant assessment"to meanssubsection thoseN testsor mandatedregulations forissued licensure as prescribed by the Board of Education.

earned by successfully completing a Board of Education-approved industry certification examination,at is being issued a professional license in the Commonwealth, or successfully completing an occupational competency examination.

"Licensure by reciprocity" means a process used to issue a license to an individual coming into the Commonwealth from another state when that individual meets certain conditions specified in the Board of Education's regulations.

"Professional teacher's assessment" means those tests mandated for licensure as prescribed by the Board of Education.

who"Renewable meetslicense" themeans requirementsa specifiedlicense inissued by the Board of Education'sEducation regulations.0for 10 years to an individual B.who meets the requirements specified in the Board of Education's regulations.

B.

and (iii) the immediate and thorough investigation by the division superintendent or his designee of any complaint alleging that a license holder has engaged in conduct investigationsthat containedmay inform such regulations shall require (a) the divisionbasis superintendent to petition for the revocation of thehis licenselicense. upon completing such investigation and finding that there is reasonable cause to believe that the license holder has engaged in conduct that forms the basis for revocation of a license;

At a minimum, such procedures for investigations contained in such regulations shall require (a) the division superintendent to petition for the revocation of the license upon completing such investigation and finding that there is reasonable cause to believe that the license holder has engaged in conduct that forms the basis for revocation of a license;

The Board of Education shall revoke the license of any person for whom it has received a notice of dismissal or resignation pursuant to subsection F of § 22.1-313 and, in the case of a person who is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect, after allnd,all rights to any administrative appeal provided by § 63.2-1526 have been exhausted.

Teachers who hold a 10-year renewable license issued by the Board of Education may teaC.teach online courses for which they are properly endorsed.

C.

of 4 1.

Demonstrate proficiency in the relevant content area, communication, literacy, and other core skills for educators by achieving a qualifying score on professional assessments or meeting alternative of 4 evaluation standards as prescribed by the Board;

The Board shall issue a license to an individual seeking initial licensure who has not completed professional assessments as prescribed by the Board, if such individual (i) holds a provisional license that will expire within three months or, at the discretion of the school board and division superintendent, within six months if the individual has received a satisfactory mid-year performance review in the of 4 current school year;

(iv) has attempted, unsuccessfully, to obtain a qualifying score on thEthe professional assessments as prescribed by the Board;

(v) has received an evaluation rating of proficient or above on the performance standards for each year of the provisional license, and such evaluation was conducted in a manner consistent with the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Rof 4 Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents;

and (vi) meets all other requirements forG.for initial licensure.

G.

L H.

The Board's regulations shall require that initial licensure for principals and assistantEprincipalsassistant principals be contingent upon passage of an assessment as prescribed by the Board.

Such alternate routes shall include eligibility for any individual to receive, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a renewable one-year license to teach in public high schools in the Commonwealth if he has:

contrary, a renewable one-year license to teach in public 1.

S 3.

Received qualifying scores on the professional teacher's assessments prescribed by the Bo1rd,Board, including the communication and literacy assessment and the content-area assessment for the 4 endorsement sought;

and R 4.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Board (i) may provide for the issuance of a provisional license, valid for a period not to exceed three years, pursuant to subdivision D 5 or to any person who does not meet the requirements of this section or any other requirement for licensure imposed by law and (ii) shall provide for the issuance of a provisional license, valid for a period not to exceed three years, to any former member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Virginia National Guard who has received an honorable discharge and has the appropriate level of experience or training but does not meet the requirements for a renewable license.

The application for such individuals shall require evidence of such valid licensure and national certification and shall not req2.require official student transcripts;

2.

and deficiencies,3. that is in force at the time the application for a Virginia license is received by theout Department of Education.

For individuals who have obtained a valid out-of-state license, with full credentials and without deficiencies, that is in force at the time the application for a Virginia license is received by the Department of Education.

The curriculum of any such alternative certification establishingprogram othershall alternatebe routesapproved toby licensure.n this subsection shall preclude the BoardBoard. from M.

TheNothing Board, in itsthis regulations providing for licensure by reciprocity established pursuant to of 4 subsection K, shall (i)preclude permitthe applicantsBoard tofrom submitestablishing third-partyother employmentalternate verificationroutes forms and (ii) grant special consideration to individualslicensure. who have successfully completed a program offered by a provider that is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

M.

The Board, in its regulations providing for licensure by reciprocity established pursuant to subsection K, shall (i) permit applicants to submit third-party employment verification forms and (ii) grant special consideration to individuals who have successfully completed a program offered by a provider that is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

The petitioner may of 4 proffer or the Board may impose conditions in conjunction with the approval of such petition.