school district superintendents; certification; requirements

SB 1693 (correcting the title discrepancy) primarily updates teacher certification rules, not superintendent requirements. It requires all teachers providing literacy instruction in kindergarten through grade 5 to obtain a literacy endorsement by specific deadlines (2028 for current teachers, within three years of certification for new teachers starting August 2025). The endorsement mandates evidence-based science of reading training covering foundational skills, high-quality materials, and interventions for reading deficiencies (including dyslexia). Teachers may bypass formal coursework through local district verification using classroom observations and student data, and the bill explicitly prohibits requiring a master's degree for certification.