COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P. O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 125
June 23, 2000
INFORMATIONAL
| TO: |
Division Superintendents |
| FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary
Superintendent of Public Instruction |
| SUBJECT: |
Local School Board Teaching License (SB 113) |
This year the Virginia General Assembly, in response
to Senate Bill 113, amended the Code of Virginia to establish
a mechanism for local school boards to issue a valid three-year nonrenewable
local eligibility license to teachers, according to specified criteria.
The licenses will be valid only within the issuing school division and
will not entitle the license holder to continuing contract status. Attached
are excerpts from Sections 22.1-298, 22-1-299, 22.299.3 and 22.1-303 of
the Code of Virginia highlighting the criteria required for the
local eligibility license.
Department of Education personnel have received
numerous inquiries concerning the implementation of the local eligibility
license. Recently, a group of human resource directors from school divisions
met with personnel in the Department of Education and discussed the issues
associated with the local eligibility license. In addition to the criteria
established in the Code of Virginia, the following series of questions
and answers are provided as guidance to help school divisions implement
the local eligibility license:
1. Should a local eligibility license
be issued instead of requiring a special education conditional license
from the Department of Education for a new employee assigned to teach special
education but who has not met all requirements for a renewable license?
No. Individuals assigned as special education teachers
who have not met the full requirements for a collegiate or postgraduate
professional license should continue to receive the special education conditional
license to ensure compliance with special education laws and regulations
at both the state and federal levels. [Sec. 300.23 Qualified personnel.
(The term "qualified
personnel"
means personnel who have met State Education Agency (SEA)-approved or SEA-recognized
certification, licensing, registration, or other comparable requirements
that apply to the area in which the individuals are providing special education
or related services. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 34 CFR-part 300)].
Individuals currently working in special education
with a conditional license may be eligible for an extension to continue
in the position as they complete the individualized course of study leading
to the full endorsement in special education. Such situations should be
directed to the attention of personnel in the Department of Education’s
Division of Teacher Education and Licensure by the school division superintendent
or designee.
The individual also should receive a statement
of requirements to be completed to secure a collegiate or postgraduate
professional license.
2. What should be the format of the
local eligibility license?
A school division opting to issue local eligibility
licenses will need to design its license. The design should not
be similar to the Board of Education’s teaching license to ensure a clear
distinction between the two licenses.
3. What information should appear on
the local eligibility license?
The following information should appear on the local
eligibility license: name of the license (Local Eligibility License), name
of the school division, name of individual, effective date and expiration
date of licenses, date the license was issued, and the teaching area. The
school division seal and signature of the division superintendent and/or
school board chairman may be included.
The individual also should receive a statement
of requirements to be completed to secure a collegiate professional or
postgraduate professional license at the conclusion of the three-year period
of the license.
4. How should the local eligibility
license be dated?
The local eligibility license will be dated
effective July 1 of the school year the applicant is employed and expire
in three years on June 30. A local eligibility license, which is valid
for only three years, may not be transferred to another school division.
5. Can a local eligibility license be
issued for individuals who have held a provisional license?
Yes. However, no individual should be given longer
than six-years (3-year provisional and 3-year local license) to complete
requirements for a collegiate professional or postgraduate professional
license. Please refer to question one of this memorandum about issues relative
to the special education license.
6. Who will determine an individual’s
eligibility for the local license?
The local school board will determine an individual’s
eligibility for the license. In addition to receiving the local eligibility
license, the teacher should receive a statement outlining the requirements
needed to secure a collegiate professional or postgraduate professional
license at the conclusion of the three-year period of the license. A teacher
holding a local eligibility license may apply for a provisional or five-year
renewable license at anytime during the three-year period if the Board
of Education’s requirements have been achieved. School divisions are encouraged
to request a provisional license for eligible candidates instead of issuing
a local eligibility license.
7. What will be required at the conclusion
of the three-year eligibility license?
Individuals issued a local eligibility license who
meet the following criteria will be issued a collegiate professional or
postgraduate professional license: (1) recommendation by the division superintendent
and the school board for such license; (2) the completion of three successful
years of teaching experience while holding a valid three-year local eligibility
license as certified by the division superintendent and the school board;
(3) a satisfactory score on the professional teacher’s examinations required
by the Board; and (4) such standards as may be prescribed by the Board
of Education. School divisions will be required to submit a form verifying
that the above criteria have been met. The application packet, including
Praxis scores, will be required for individuals seeking an initial license.
8. What standards are prescribed by
the Board of Education that must be completed for an individual to become
eligible for a collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license?
The licensure regulations for school personnel are
the prescribed regulations for the preparation of teachers. School boards
should use the competencies set forth in the regulations as a guide in
the evaluation of the teacher’s credentials.
9. What information about teachers receiving
local eligibility licenses and other data related to the local school division’s
issuance of eligibility licenses must be submitted to the Board of Education?
The report, which is anticipated to be submitted electronically,
should contain the following information: total number of local eligibility
licenses issued; total number of classroom teachers employed by the school
division during the preceding year; percentage of teachers within the school
system who have been issued local licenses; names, social security numbers,
degrees (including majors) of teachers issued the local license; teaching
area identified on the license; the total number of years of successful
teaching experience under the local license; and information on the deficiencies
needed by the teacher issued the local license (such as needing to pass
Praxis) and whether the individual previously has held a provisional license.
The first data report to the Board of Education
on the local license will be due on December 1, 2000. In subsequent years,
the data will be due to the Division of Teacher Education and Licensure
on May 1.
10. Upon successfully completing the
requirements for the collegiate professional license or the postgraduate
professional license, will the holder of the local eligibility license
be required to pay a fee for the license issued by the Board of Education?
Fees for Board of Education licenses will be required.
The fee for an initial license will be assessed at the time the application
for the collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license is
received.
11. Will the local license be accepted
through the interstate contract (reciprocity) to secure a license in another
state?
The local license is a nonrenewable credential, and
individuals should be advised that it is not reciprocal with other states.
If you have further questions or require additional
clarification relative to the implementation of the local eligibility license,
please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Thomas A. Elliott, assistant superintendent,
Division of Teacher Education and Licensure (mailto:telliott@pen.k12.va.us),
or Mrs. Patty S. Pitts, director, Division of Teacher Education and Licensure
(mailto:ppitts@pen.k12.va.us),
at (804)371-2522.
JLD:rt
http://www.pen.k12.va.us./administrators/superintendents_memos/2000/inf125a.pdf