HS/HCS/SCS/SB 722 - TEACHERS' LICENSES - This act makes several changes to the process by which disciplinary action may be imposed on the holder of a certificate of license to teach or when teachers' licenses may be denied. The act adds new reasons for denial of a license or for discretionary revocation including:

(1) Deception in obtaining a license; (2) Disciplinary action on an existing license from another jurisdiction;

This act adds furnishing child pornography to a minor to the list of offenses that require license revocation.

This act clarifies that the State Board of Education as well as the school district may file certain licensure charges, that cases may be settled informally by agreements or voluntary surrender of license, and that licensure decisions are subject to judicial review. The State Board of Education may refuse to issue or renew a license or may suspend or revoke a license of a person who has surrendered his or her license or has failed to renew it, for any of the grounds mentioned in this act (SECTION 168.071). This portion of the act is identical to HB 1338 (2002).

TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATES - This act permits qualified applicants to apply for a temporary administrator certificate with a school district that is willing to employ and sponsor the individual. The temporary administrative certificate is restricted to the employing public school district or accredited nonpublic school. The employing school district of the temporary administrator must develop a mentoring program to ensure that the individual eventually obtains a full administrator certificate. The temporary certificate is valid for a period of one year and may be renewed up to four subsequent times upon demonstration that the individual is making measurable progress toward obtaining a full administrator certificate. The applicant, however, must receive a full administrative certificate within five years.

The State Board of Education will be responsible for establishing standards for the implementation of the temporary certificate program. A qualified applicant is a person who: holds a teacher's license; has a master's degree or is currently enrolled in a master's degree program; and has at least five years of teaching experience in either a public school or an accredited nonpublic school (SECTION 168.081 & 168.083).

The provisions of section 168.083 will expire on August 28, 2012.
DONALD THALHUBER