Bill > S2494

Introduced Session

This bill establishes an emergency instructional certificate for teacher candidates in high-need fields. Under the bill, a chief school administrator or the board of directors of a private school for students with disabilities may apply to the executive county superintendent or the Commissioner of Education, as applicable, for an emergency endorsement to an instructional certificate to enable teachers to full high-need fields prior to qualifying for the endorsement through regular course. In order to be eligible to receive an emergency endorsement, the amendments require a teacher candidate: to have already obtained a certificate of eligibility, certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, or a standard instructional certificate in another endorsement area; and be enrolled in a coherent sequence of courses in the emergency subject field at an educator preparation program at a regionally accredited four-year institution of higher education. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Education to publish a list of the high-need fields eligible to receive an emergency endorsement on its internet website and requires the State Board of Education to annually reevaluate the high-need fields that are eligible for an emergency instructional certificate. The bill also stipulates that a teacher candidate who has been issued an emergency endorsement may be employed in a full-time or part-time teaching position. Finally, bill stipulates that no more than 20 percent of a board of education's or a private school for students with disabilities' teaching staff may be employed with an emergency instructional certificate.

Committee Categories

Teresa Ruiz (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 02/05/2024)

Official Document