TEACHER CERT. ALTERNATIVE PROCESS S.B. 965 (S-4):
FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 965 (Substitute S-4 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Wayne Kuipers
Committee: Education
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a process for a person to earn an interim teaching certificate under which he or she could teach in the public schools and, after four years of satisfactory performance, receive a provisional teaching certificate. The bill would do the following:
-- Require a person to participate in an alternative teaching program, hold a bachelor's degree, and pass applicable exams, in order to receive an interim certificate.
-- Require alternative teaching programs to meet criteria related to credit hours, subject matter training, and enrollment.
-- Establish criteria regarding observation and coaching, and progress toward a teaching certificate, for a person holding an interim certificate to teach in a public school.
-- Require the State Board of Education to develop standards for granting a permanent teaching certificate after a person taught under an interim certificate.
The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bills 638, 925, 926, 981, 982, and a bill that has not yet been introduced.
(Under Senate Bill 638, a teacher in a neighborhood public school (proposed by Senate Bill 636) would not be considered a teacher for the purpose of continuing tenure. Senate Bill 925 would provide for the creation of "schools of excellence". Senate Bill 926 would require the creation of a teacher identifier system with the ability to match an individual teacher to pupils whom the teacher taught. Senate Bills 981 and 982 would provide for the designation of certain low-performing school districts as "turnaround school districts".)
Proposed MCL 380.1531i Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
State: The Department of Education would incur additional costs under this legislation. The costs would reflect the amount of administrative time and resources necessary for the State Superintendent to establish a process for a person to earn an interim teaching certificate as prescribed by the bill.
Local: Local districts could see some slight additional costs from the "intensive observation and coaching" required of the district when employing a person with an interim teaching certificate.
Date Completed: 12-2-09 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb965/0910