Read 1st time January 8, 1997, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.

Read 2nd time January 20, 1997, and referred to the Committee on Education.

Reported from the Committee February 25, 1997, with recommendation that the bill do pass and be placed on the Consent Calendar.

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 adopted April 2, 1997.

Taken up April 2, 1997. Read 3rd time and placed upon its final passage; bill passed.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

L0572.01P

To repeal section 168.021, RSMo 1994, relating to certification of teachers, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

     Section A. Section 168.021, RSMo 1994, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 168.021, to read as follows:

     168.021. 1. Certificates of license to teach in the public schools of the state shall be granted as follows:

     (1) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by it,

     (a) Upon the basis of college credit;

     (b) Upon the basis of examination;

     (2) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by the state board with advice from the advisory council established by section 168.015 to any individual who presents to the state board a valid doctor of philosophy degree from an accredited institution of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting association such as North Central Association. Such certificate shall be limited to the major area of postgraduate study of the holder, shall be issued only after successful completion of the examination required for graduation pursuant to section 168.033 if appropriate, and shall be restricted to those certificates established pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection 4 of this section; or

     (3) By the state board, which shall permit provisional certification to a person with more than five years' teaching experience in that curriculum area and approximate grade level in another state, and permit full certification upon the satisfactory completion of five years teaching in Missouri public schools.

     2. All valid teaching certificates issued pursuant to law or state board policies and regulations prior to September 1, 1988, shall continue in effect until they expire, are revoked or suspended, as provided by law. When such certificates are required to be renewed, the state board or its designee, shall grant to each holder of such a certificate the certificate most nearly equivalent to the one so held.

     3. Any teacher holding a third class county certificate in the state during the 1972-73 school year shall upon his written request be given an examination by a person designated by the state commissioner of education to determine his eligibility to be granted a certificate of license to teach. The examination shall be comparable to those given by county superintendents to eligible applicants prior to July 1, 1974. Upon successful completion of the examination the applicant shall be issued a certificate by the state board of education entitling the holder to teach in the public schools of the state for a period of three years. A request for such examination must be presented to the commissioner of education on or before March first of the year in which the examination is to be administered. The commissioner of education shall cause the examination to be administered and the certificate issued to those successfully completing it prior to April first of the year in which the application for the examination was received.

     4. After September 1, 1988, certificates of license to teach in the public schools of the state shall be based upon minimum requirements prescribed by the state board of education which shall provide for levels of certification including, but not limited to, an initial professional certificate and culminating with a continuous professional certificate:

     (1) The initial professional certificate shall be issued upon completion of requirements established by the state board of education and shall be valid based upon verification of actual teaching within a specified time period established by the state board of education;

     (2) One or more levels of renewable professional certificates shall be issued upon verification of completion of criteria established by the state board of education;

     (3) The continuous professional certificate shall be issued upon verification of completion of criteria, which shall not exceed a master's degree or its equivalent and ten years employment in an educational position, established by the state board of education. The continuous professional certificate shall be continuous based upon verification of actual employment in an educational position as provided for in state board guidelines.

     5. Policies and procedures shall be established by which a teacher who was not retained due to a reduction in force may retain the current level of certification. There shall also be established policies and procedures for a teacher who has not been employed in an educational position for three years or more for reasons other than reduction in force.

     6. The state board shall establish policies by which residents of states other than the state of Missouri may be assessed a fee for a certificate license to teach in the public schools of Missouri. Such fee shall be in an amount sufficient to recover any or all costs associated with the issuing of a certificate of license to teach.