HS HCS SCS SB 296 -- EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS

This bill requires that changes to the state school district
accreditation standards take effect no less than two years after
their adoption by rule, unless a specific time line is otherwise
mandated.

The bill also changes the standards for teacher certification.
Currently, teacher certificates include three levels, the first
two of which are steps to a continuous professional certificate,
renewable every 10 years.  The bill replaces the three-level
system with a two-level system:  an initial four-year certificate
and a career continuous professional certificate.  The bill
grants current certificate holders who qualify as of August 28,
2003, an equivalent certificate as their current certificates
expire.  The bill contains professional development requirements
for both levels of certification, exempting certain continuous
certificate holders.  For the initial certificate, additional
requirements include participation in a beginning teacher
assistance program and two years of mentoring.

The bill also deletes references to the five-year provisional
certification granted to experienced teachers with out-of-state
certificates and grants a license to validly certified teachers
from other states hired to teach in this state, commensurate with
their experience, upon completion of a background check, if the
certificate holder annually completes the requirements of the
State Board of Education for that level of certification.
Currently, holders of a doctor of philosophy degree may be
granted a certificate under certain conditions.  The bill changes
this to a doctoral degree.  A fee may be charged for initial
certificates not to exceed the cost of their issuance plus the
background check.  Enticement of a child and attempting to entice
a child are added to the list of crimes for which licenses are
revoked.  When a certificate holder pleads or is found guilty of
an offense that would permit disciplinary action against the
holder, the local school board or the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education must notify the state board and the
Attorney General.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:13 am