THE
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents |
FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier
|
COMMITTEE: |
Higher Education and Professional Practice |
TITLE OF
ITEM: |
Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Creation of a Supplementary Certificate in the Classroom Teaching Service and Relocation of the Requirements for Teachers of Adult, Community and Continuing Education |
DATE OF
SUBMISSION: |
August 5, 2004 |
PROPOSED
HANDLING: |
Discussion |
RATIONALE FOR
ITEM: |
To Implement Policy |
STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goal 3 |
AUTHORIZATION(S): |
|
SUMMARY:
Attached for discussion is a proposed repeal of section 80-2.11 and addition of sections 80-5.18 and 80-5.19 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, relating to the creation of a supplementary certificate in the classroom teaching service and relocation of the requirements for teachers of adult, community and continuing education. Supporting materials for the proposed amendment are available upon request from the Secretary to the Board of Regents.
The purpose of the proposed amendment is to
establish a new teaching certificate, the supplementary certificate, to enable a
teacher certified in one classroom teaching title, upon meeting prescribed
requirements, to provide instruction in a different title in the classroom
teaching service for which there is a demonstrated shortage of certified
teachers; and to relocate existing requirements for teachers of adult, community
and continuing education to another section of Commissioner's
regulations.
The proposed amendment is needed to facilitate the State’s ability to address persistent shortages of certified teachers in certain subject matter areas, including but not limited to mathematics, the sciences, bilingual education, and special education, and in certain geographic areas of the State. Despite intensive recruitment efforts and the creation of numerous alternative pathways for teacher certification, the shortages remain. The amendment will enable certified classroom teachers in areas of oversupply to provide instruction in a different title in the classroom teaching service for up to three years, while the teacher completes the balance of coursework requirements necessary to qualify for a new certificate in a shortage area. This option is proposed to sunset on September 1, 2009. The amendment is also needed to relocate the existing requirements for teachers of adult, community and continuing education to a more appropriate Subpart of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education that deals with specialized credentials.
The
original proposal presented to the Higher Education and Professional Practice
Committee for discussion on June 21, 2004 included significant feedback and
suggestions from deans and directors of teacher education programs at colleges
and universities, members of the Professional Standards and Practices Board
(PSPB), school district superintendents, teachers, New York City Department of
Education leadership, and other partners around the State. Specific suggestions were made
concerning the content area requirement to obtain a supplementary certificate,
pedagogy requirements for teachers of students with special needs and certain
other certificate titles, course grades, and the need to ensure that candidates
engage in appropriate college study while working under a supplementary
certificate.
As
a result of the Committee’s June discussion, a number of additional refinements
have been incorporated into this revised proposal consistent with the
Committee’s direction (these changes have been highlighted in the attached draft
terms). Specifically, language has
been added to require that enrollment in study at an institution of higher
education offering the coursework necessary for the certificate sought must be
verified at the start of a teacher’s employment under a supplementary
certificate. Also, the chief school
officer of an employing school district will be required to certify that the
district seeks to employ the candidate for a supplementary certificate in a
demonstrated subject matter shortage area as determined by the Department. Finally, a school district employing a
teacher with a supplementary certificate must agree to provide the teacher with
appropriate support to ensure the maintenance of quality instruction for
students.
A Notice of Proposed Rule Making was published in the State Register on June 16, 2004. A Notice of Revised Rule Making will be published in the State Register on November 3, 2004. It is recommended that formal action on the proposal be taken at the December 2004 meeting of the Board of Regents.
Attachment
DRAFT
AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Pursuant to sections 207, 305,
3001, 3004, 3006, 3009, and 3010 of the Education
Law.
1.
Section 80-2.11 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is
repealed, effective [September 30, 2004] January 6,
2005.
2.
Section 80-5.18 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is
added, effective [September 30, 2004] January
6, 2005, as follows:
80-5.18 Supplementary
certificate.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of the supplementary certificate is to authorize a teacher who is currently certified in a title in the classroom teaching service to teach in a different title in the classroom teaching service for which there is a demonstrated shortage of certified teachers, while the teacher is engaged in [collegiate] study at an institution of higher education to complete the requirements necessary to qualify for the new certificate.
(b) Limitations. The supplementary certificate shall be
valid for three years from its effective date and shall not be renewable. The supplementary certificate shall be
limited to employment with an employing entity.
(c) Requirements. To be eligible for a supplementary
certificate, a candidate shall meet the requirements in each of the following
paragraphs:
(1) Application. The candidate shall apply for the supplementary certificate by September 1, 2009, and upon application qualify for the certificate, in a certificate title in the classroom [teacher] teaching service for which there is a demonstrated shortage of certified teachers as determined by the department.
(2) Certification. The candidate shall hold a valid provisional, initial, permanent, or professional certificate in a title in the classroom teaching service identified in Subparts 80-2 or 80-3 of this Part.
(3) The candidate shall agree to be enrolled in [collegiate] study at an institution of higher education leading to an initial or professional certificate in the certificate title sought. [, beginning no later than with the first semester following employment under the supplementary certificate.]
(4)
Education.
(i) The candidate shall hold the minimum
degree required for an initial certificate in the certificate title sought.
(ii) The candidate shall have completed coursework as prescribed in this subparagraph. The candidate shall have achieved at least a C or its equivalent in any undergraduate level course and at least a B- or its equivalent in any graduate level course submitted to meet the coursework requirements of this subparagraph.
(a) For candidates seeking a certificate,
other than one of the certificates for the instruction of students with
disabilities, a certificate for the instruction of the deaf and hard of hearing,
a certificate for the instruction of the blind or visually impaired, a
certificate for the instruction of literacy, or a certificate for teaching
English to speakers of other languages, the candidate shall have completed
twelve semester hours of study in the content core required for the initial
certificate in the certificate title sought, as prescribed in section 80-3.7 of
this Part.
(b) For candidates seeking one of the certificates for the instruction of students with disabilities, the candidate shall have completed nine semester hours of study in the instruction of students with disabilities, as prescribed in the pedagogical core required for the initial certificate in the certificate title sought, set forth in section 80-3.7 of this Part.
(c) For candidates seeking a certificate for
the instruction of students who are deaf and hard of hearing, the candidate
shall have completed nine semester hours in the instruction of the deaf and hard
of hearing, as prescribed in the pedagogical core for the initial certificate in
this certificate title, set forth in
section 80-3.7 of this Part.
(d) For candidates seeking a certificate for the instruction of the blind or visually impaired, the candidate shall have completed nine semester hours in the instruction of the blind or visually impaired as prescribed in the pedagogical core for the initial certificate in this certificate title, set forth in section 80-3.7 of this Part.
(e) For candidates seeking one of the certificates for the instruction of literacy, the candidate shall have completed nine semester hours of study in literacy education, as prescribed in the pedagogical core required for the initial certificate in the certificate title sought, set forth in section 80-3.7 of this Part.
(f) For candidates seeking a certificate for
teaching English to speakers of other languages, the candidate shall have
completed six semester hours of coursework in methods of second language
teaching in the elementary and secondary grades and six semester hours in
teaching literacy skills, as prescribed in the pedagogical core for the initial
certificate in this certificate title, set forth in section 80-3.7 of this
Part.
(5) The candidate shall submit a statement by the Chancellor, in the case of employment with the City School District of the City of New York; or by the superintendent, in the case of other employing boards; or by the chief school officer, in the case of employment with another entity required by law to employ certified teachers certifying:
(i) the
employing entity [wants] seeks to
employ the candidate in a teaching position in a certificate title in the classroom teacher
service with a demonstrated shortage of certified teachers as determined by the
department for which the candidate would need the supplementary
certificate to qualify; [and]
(ii) the
employing entity will [make it] require, as
a condition of employment under the supplementary certificate, [that] the candidate’s [will be enrolled] enrollment in [collegiate] study at an institution of higher education
leading to an initial or professional certificate in the certificate
title sought; [, beginning no
later than with the first semester following employment under the supplementary
certificate;] and
(iii) the employing entity will provide appropriate support to the candidate undertaking a teaching assignment under the supplementary certificate to ensure the maintenance of quality instruction for students.
(6) Examination. The candidate shall submit evidence of
having achieved a satisfactory level of performance on the Content Specialty
Test in the area of the certificate title sought, if
available.
3. Section 80-5.19 of the
Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, effective [September 30,
2004] January 6, 2005, as
follows:
80-5.19
Teachers of adult, community and continuing education.
(a)
A person teaching an avocational subject shall have three years of
preparation and/or experience in the subject which the individual is employed to
teach. When no such prepared and/or
experienced person is available after extensive recruitment, an individual with
less preparation and/or experience may be employed upon a finding by the chief
school officer that such individual has sufficient preparation and/or experience
to teach the subject.
(b) A person teaching an occupational
education subject for which no high school credit is granted and for which there
is no appropriate teaching certificate shall have three years of preparation
and/or experience in the subject which the individual is employed to teach. When no such prepared and/or experienced
person is available after extensive recruitment, an individual with less
preparation and/or experience may be employed upon a finding by the chief school
officer that such individual has sufficient preparation and/or experience to
teach the subject.