Session of 2000
HOUSE BILL No. 2803 By Committee on Education 2-2

9 AN ACT concerning teachers; providing for initial certification upon
10 completion of an alternate teacher certification program.
11
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
13 Section 1. The state board of education shall adopt rules and regu-
14 lations for administration and effectuation of the provisions of this act
15 and, in accordance therewith, may issue an initial certificate to teach in
16 this state to any person who successfully completes the alternate teacher
17 certification program.
18 Sec. 2. As used in this act:
19 (a) "Alternate teacher certification program" means a program which
20 is provided for by the state board of education under contractual arrange-
21 ments with an accredited Kansas teacher education institution having an
22 approved teacher education program and with accredited schools and
23 which is designed to ensure that a teacher certification applicant has the
24 basic knowledge and qualifications necessary to engage in the profession
25 of teaching at an accredited school in this state.
26 (b) "Teacher certification applicant" means a person who applies un-
27 der authority of this act for an initial certificate to teach in this state.
28 Sec. 3. (a) The alternate teacher certification program will require a
29 teacher certification applicant to complete:
30 (1) A 10 contact hour preservice orientation conducted by employing
31 accredited school prior to a classroom assignment. Orientation shall in-
32 clude familiarization with school policies, procedures, curriculum, in-
33 structional model, community characteristics, and resources; and
34 (2) an internship of two school years (four semesters) prescribed by
35 the teacher education institution. At the successful completion of intern-
36 ship, student teaching requirements will be waived.
37 (b) During internship, a teacher certification applicant will be super-
38 vised by a team of three persons consisting of a mentor teacher from the
39 accredited school employing the applicant, the building principal, and a
40 faculty member from the teacher education institution. Guidelines for
41 supervision will be provided by the teacher education institution. The
42 supervisory team will meet no fewer than three times per school year to
43 evaluate, consult with, and provide advice to the applicant. The last meet-

2
1 ing of the first year of internship will result in a recommendation for
2 discontinuation of the program or continuation for the second year of
3 internship. Successful completion of the program will result in a recom-
4 mendation for certification.
5 Sec. 4. A teacher certification applicant shall:
6 (a) Be the holder of a baccalaureate or higher degree, earned with a
7 minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, and
8 granted by an accredited college or university;
9 (b) have earned academic credits appropriate to meeting subject and
10 field requirements for certification with an endorsement at the secondary
11 level for such subject or field or for certification with an endorsement at
12 the elementary, middle or junior high level in such subjects or fields as
13 art, music, computer science, library science, or foreign language. The
14 teacher education institution will assure attainment by the applicant of
15 the minimum semester hour requirements for general education and sub-
16 jects or fields of specialization. Minor deficiencies in the subject or field
17 of specialization requirements may be satisfied through additional course
18 work approved by the teacher education institution;
19 (c) take and pass the national teacher examination core battery with
20 a composite score at or higher than the national mean score;
21 (d) apply for and receive from the state board of education an emer-
22 gency certificate valid for one year and renewable for a second year upon
23 successful completion of the first year of participation in the program and
24 recommendation by the supervisory team;
25 (e) receive and document an offer of a teaching position at an ac-
26 credited Kansas school. The school will establish the salary and benefits
27 to be received by the applicant in accordance with school policy; and
28 (f) pay a fee prescribed by the state board of education, which fee
29 shall be in an amount determined to be necessary for payment of the
30 costs of the program including, but not limited to, the costs related to the
31 internship prescribed by the teacher education institution, the costs for
32 travel expenses of the teacher education institution faculty member of
33 the supervisory team at the rate of $300 for each year of internship, and
34 the costs for remuneration of the principal and mentor teacher members
35 of the supervisory team at the rate of $500 each for each year of intern-
36 ship. The applicant and employing accredited school will share equally in
37 the costs for remuneration of the principal and mentor teacher.
38 Sec. 5. Upon successful completion of the alternate teacher certifi-
39 cation program as verified by the teacher education institution and the
40 employing accredited school, a teacher certification applicant may apply
41 for certification on a form provided by the state board of education. The
42 state board shall review the application and the recommendation of the
43 teacher education institution and the employing accredited school and

3
1 shall grant certification, grant provisional certification, or deny certifica-
2 tion. Successful completion of the alternate teacher certification program
3 will not entitle a teacher certification applicant to certification with an
4 endorsement in special education subject areas or certification at the el-
5 ementary level other than in the subjects or fields of specialization for
6 which the applicant has met the standards for endorsement.
7 Sec. 6. Upon completion of each school year, commencing with the
8 2003-04 school year, the state board of education shall make a report to
9 the governor and the legislature on the effectiveness of the alternate
10 teacher certification program. The report shall include the following
11 information:
12 (a) The number of accredited schools participating in the program;
13 (b) the number of persons who applied for employment as teacher
14 certification applicants and the number of such applicants who actually
15 were employed;
16 (c) the number of persons who successfully completed the alternate
17 teacher certification program, who were recommended for certification,
18 and who were granted certificates;
19 (d) the quality of teachers granted certificates under this act;
20 (e) the rate of attrition of teachers granted certificates under this act
21 as compared with teachers who have completed a regular teacher prep-
22 aration program; and
23 (f) the costs to the state of providing the alternate teacher certifica-
24 tion program as compared with regular teacher preparation programs.
25 Sec. 7. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to abrogate,
26 affect the status, force or operation of any other provision of law relating
27 to initial issuance of certificates to teach or of any rules and regulations
28 adopted pursuant thereto. The requirements and procedures contained
29 in this act for initial issuance of certificates to teach shall be deemed
30 alternative to the requirements and procedures therefor that are in effect
31 under any other provision of law and under rules and regulations adopted
32 pursuant thereto by the state board of education.
33 Sec. 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
34 publication in the statute book.