Description: BESE policy contained in Bulletin 996 specifies that in order to be admitted into a teacher preparation program, candidates must meet the requirements that include passing the Core Academic Skills for Educators assessment. Candidates may also meet alternate requirements pursuant to Bulletin 746, which states that an ACT composite score of 22 or an SAT combined verbal and math score of 1100 or higher (new SAT) or 1030 or higher (pre-March 2016 SAT) may be used in lieu of PRAXIS 1 PPST exams or core academic skills for educators in reading, writing, and math by prospective teachers in Louisiana.
House Bill 546 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session amended and reenacted R.S. 17:7(6)(b)(i)(aa) and repealed R.S. 17:7.1(A)(7). To align with current statute, proposed recommendations would remove the requirement of a core academic skills assessment (Praxis Core, ACT, or SAT) for admission to a teacher preparation program in Bulletin 996. Revisions to Bulletin 746 remove the requirement of Praxis Core, ACT, or SAT assessment for initial licensure. Indicators of educator quality remain through requirements for passage of pedagogy and content area assessments, GPA, college degrees, and standards of effectiveness.
House Bill 377 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session amended R.S. 17:7(6)(b), (c), and (e), 7.1(A)(3)(b) and (B)(1) to enact R.S. 17:7.1(A)(1) and 7.2(A)(7), and to repeal R.S, 17:7.1(A)(7) and 7.2(A)(4), relative to the certification of teachers; to provide relative to the responsibilities of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; to provider for teaching certification qualifications and requirements; to provide eligibility criteria; to provide for the granting of teaching certifications; to provide relative to approved teacher education programs; and to provide for related matters.
The legislative changes address the issuance of a temporary employment permit, out-of-state reciprocity requirements, and GPA requirements associated with entry into a teacher preparation program, teacher preparation program completion, and initial licensure.
Revisions to align with the legislative changes above allow candidates with a master’s degree in a school subject area, or candidates who have completed a teacher preparation program but are lacking appropriate exams score by 10%, the ability to be issued a Temporary Employment Permit (TEP). The TEP may be renewed annually for up to five years contingent upon meeting standards of effectiveness. After five years of meeting the standards of effectiveness, candidates can be issued permanent professional level certification upon the request and verification of continued employment by a local education agency (LEA).
Current out-of-state reciprocity policy requirements indicate a teacher candidate must have completed an out-of-state teacher preparation program that includes student teaching, internship, or residency and be eligible for licensure in another state. Out-of-State candidates are required to take Louisiana exams unless the teacher candidate has at least three successful years of teaching experience in another state, holds licensure in the other state, and has one successful year of teaching in Louisiana. Proposed policy updates, to align with Senate Bill 377, remove the requirement of the one year of successful teaching in Louisiana for exam exemption purposes. All other out-of-state requirements remain the same. If a teacher candidate does not have at least three years of successful years teaching out-of-state, they must take Louisiana exams for standard professional licensure.
Current BESE policy in Bulletin 746 and Bulletin 996 includes GPA requirements for entry into a teacher preparation program, for program completion and for initial licensure. These policy updates align with the changes to the law that amend GPA requirements for entrance into a teacher preparation program. They also align BESE policy in both bulletins with the updated GPA requirement for initial licensure. This includes a 2.5 GPA for traditional program completers and for post-baccalaureate teacher certification preparation program completers unless they meet the exception allowed. If a post-baccalaureate teacher certification preparation program completer does not obtain the 2.5 program requirements at graduation, as long as they completed the program, and completed the pre-professional skills and content exams, they may be certified, or they may be issued the TEP to obtain initial licensure after five years of successful evaluations.
Note: BESE adopted this policy revision as an emergency rule, effective August 24, 2022.
Public Comments: Interested persons may submit written comments via the U.S. Mail until 4:30 p.m. on the public comments deadline date posted above, to Shan N. Davis, Executive Director, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Box 94064, Capitol Station, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064.