Bill > HB1888

This bill allows the State Board of Education to grant a waiver for the educator licensure requirement for individuals who do not have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution but have at least five consecutive years of full-time teaching experience at an approved church-related or private school, provided they meet specific criteria, including verification of satisfactory performance, documentation of similar instructional duties to licensed public school teachers, completion of professional development, and successful completion of a criminal background check. This waiver permits employment as a teacher in a Local Education Agency (LEA) or public charter school for up to three years, with the possibility of renewal, but does not grant a practitioner teacher license, and requires annual performance evaluations by the employing school. The State Board of Education will establish the review process, criteria for evaluating applicants, requirements for potential educator preparation programs, and conditions for waiver renewal, revocation, or conversion to a practitioner license, while also clarifying that this waiver does not prevent individuals from pursuing other established licensure pathways.