Public school teachers; licensure requirements, issuance of a one-year local eligibility license.

Public school teachers; licensure requirements; one-yearlocal eligibility license; alternate routes and flexibility; report. Requiresthe Board of Education to include in its teacher licensure regulationsprovisions authorizing each school board to, upon recommendation of thedivision superintendent and in accordance with the criteria set forth in thebill, issue a one-year local eligibility license that is only valid within theissuing school division and renewable for no more than one additional year toany individual who (i) received a baccalaureate degree from a regionallyaccredited institution of higher education, (ii) has experience or training ina subject or content area as the school board and division superintendent maydeem appropriate for the applicable teaching position or endorsement area, and(iii) is not seeking to provide instruction in special education or eligiblefor collegiate professional or postgraduate professional licensure. The billestablishes several requirements, criteria, and conditions relating to a localeligibility license, including criteria and requirements relating toprobationary terms of employment, eligibility for receiving a collegiateprofessional or postgraduate professional license after the expiration of theone-year eligibility license, and conditions that must be met before attainingcontinuing contract status. Finally, the bill requires the Board of Educationto convene a work group to make recommendations on revising teacher licensure requirementsto increase flexibility in licensure requirements and alternate routes tolicensure and improve teacher recruitment and retention. The work group isrequired to submit a report on such recommendations to the Governor, the SenateCommittee on Education and Health, and the House Committee on Education byNovember 1, 2024.