Division of Teacher and Leader Excellence

CERTIFICATION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNOR’S EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS TASK FORCE

Second DiscussionNovember 14, 2012

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First Discussion Topics & Agency-Initiated Changes

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1. Substitute Credentials, 6A: 9-6.5(a)1 and (c) : use of private vendors for securing substitutes, i.e. as temp agencies.

2. Elementary School Teacher, 6A:9-9.1(a)1 and elsewhere: changing K-5 authorization to K-6

3. CTE Endorsements, 6A:9-9.2 et seq: amendments clarifying authorizations for Technology Education, Business Education and related technologies, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Agriculture; and deleting Industrial Arts.

4. Charter School Certification, 6A:9-11.20: Creates a three-tiered alternate route certificate structure (CE, Provisional, Standard) in which the entry level content requirement can be satisfied by the content test only, and standard certification available after one year of successful teaching. Charter school certificates would be valid only for use in charter schools. (See detail slides following.)

First Discussion Topics & Agency-Initiated Changes

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5. School Nurses, 6A:9-13.3 and 13.4: reducing non-health and safety-related entry requirements and requiring them instead during initial professional development period.

6. Speech-Language Specialist, 6A:9-13.6(e): delete emergency certificate due to Federal directive, and insert an alternate route certificate.

7. Professional Development, 6A:9-15: emphasize job-embedded PD aimed at improving student achievement; make principals and superintendents directly responsible for school and district PD, respectively; remove county PD committee and consolidate state-level teacher and administrator PD boards.

8. Alternate Route for Documented Shortage Areas, 6A:9-16: Grant Commissioner latitude in approving alternate route programs for documented teacher shortage areas

Teacher Certification & Charter Schools

October 2012NJ Department of Education

Office of Charter Schools

Office of Charter Schools

Goal: To provide maximum flexibility for charter schools with regards for teacher certification.

Proposal: Create separate and distinct “Charter School Alternate Route” program with charter-specific certificates.

Important Details: • Charter school certificates are only applicable in charter schools and cannot be transferred to traditional public schools.

• The CS Alt Route Program aligns with the current alt route program but with fewer requirements.

• Charter school certificates cannot be obtained in specialized areas such as Special Education, Bilingual Ed, ESL & Swimming and Water Safety.

Charters and Certification Regulations

Rationale

• A major goal of the Department is to allow increased flexibility for charter schools in exchange for greater accountability.

• Student outcomes, rather than input or process measures, should be the focus of charter schools.

• The Charter School Program Act of 1995 was developed to establish a new form of accountability for schools.

• The charter law was developed to make the school the unit for educational improvement and to establish new professional opportunities for teachers.

Charters and Certification Regulations

Definitions

“Charter School Alternate Route” means a three-tiered certification program, including qualification for a Certificate of

Eligibility, issuance of a provisional certificate upon employment and final recommendation by the principal upon one-year of

successful completion of teaching at the charter school. Charter school certificates are only valid at charter schools and cannot be

transferred to traditional public schools.

Charters and Certification Regulations

Charters and Certification Regulations

Charter School Certificate of

Eligibility “CSCE”

Charter School ProvisionalCertificate

Charter School Standard

Certificate

Charter School Alternate Route Program Process

• Bachelor’s Degree• GPA of 2.75 or Higher • Pass Content Test

• Hold a CSCE• Obtain and Accept Offer Of Employment

• Possess Provisional Cert• Complete 1 Yr of Successful Teaching at Charter School