Charter Schools & The Licensure Connection

1. Charter Schools&The Licensure Connection Portia W. Reese, Licensure Specialist NCDPI, Licensure Section 2013

2. Index • Licensure overview • “Highly Qualified” Licensed & Non-licensed Teachers teaching core academic subjects… • The State Board of Education Policy Highlights • Routes to Licensure • Standard Professional License Stages • Lateral Entry • The Renewal Plan and Licensure Renewal • How to Contact the Licensure Section

3. Licensure Overview The purpose of licensure is to confirm that an individual: • Is qualified to perform specialized professional services as a public school employee, and • Guarantees the educators in North Carolina meet established standards of professional competence.

4. General Statute 115C-295(b) North Carolina Licensure Statute “[it] shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any teacher who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a license in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education.”

5. General Statute 115C-296(a) Licensure Authority • According to General Statute 115C-296(a) • “The State Board of Education shall have entire control of licensing all applicants for teaching positions in all public elementary and high schools of North Carolina; and it shall prescribe the rules and regulations for the renewal and extension of all licenses and shall determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of license it authorizes.” • The North Carolina Constitution delegates responsibility for setting those standards to the State Board of Education (SBE), whose regulations for licensure are in turn administered by the Licensure Section of the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

6. North Carolina Law • General Statute…GS 115C & 296 -- Requires public school teachers to hold or be qualified to hold a certificate in accordance with SBE policy, and -- Grants absolute authority to the SBE to promulgate licensure requirements for professional educators • Administrative Code -- Section…003 of the North Carolina Administrative Code also outlines many specific rules/procedures for licensing of public school employees.

7. The License • The license structure & program codes • The dates of interest are: • Date issued, renewal cycle, effective & expiration dates • The license features are: • program codes = status • HQ code • Area(s) of licensure • Degree level codes • Experience credit

8. The License

9. The Title I Parental Notification • At the beginning of each school year, LEAs must notify the parents of each student attending a Title I school that they may request the following qualifications of their child’s teacher: • Whether the teacher has met NC licensing requirements • Whether the teacher has had any licensure requirements waived • What the teacher’s bachelor degree major(s) is/are, other degrees held and teaching license area(s) held • Timely notice must also be given to parents of children who, after four consecutive weeks, have been taught a core academic subject by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

10. “Highly Qualified” Licensed & Non-licensed Teachers • Licensed & “HQ” • In/out of state teacher education program completers (Form V or out-of-state license) • Verification of “HQ” status • Licensure application packet • $$$ ($55 or $85) • Non-Licensed & “HQ” • Bachelor degree or higher • Verification of “HQ” status • Licensure application packet • $$$ ($55 or $85)

11. The Requirements Continue… • All licensed and non-licensed teachers in grades K-12 teaching assignments must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. • “Highly Qualified” status is a requirement for all core academic subject assignments.

12. Core Academic Subjects • English • Reading/Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Foreign Languages • Civics and Government • Economics • Arts • History • Geography • EC Teachers • ESL Teachers • Elementary Education

13. Highly Qualified Data • Please submit all HQ report data to the Licensure Section prior to 5/1 annual to Nadine C. Ejire’s attention. • The HQ Data will be reported to the DPI Federal Program Office/Brandon Patterson

14. HQ Indicators • Qualified not determined • 89 -      Highly Qualified based on undergraduate academic major • 88 -      Highly Qualified based on coursework equivalent to an undergraduate major • 87 -      Highly Qualified based on NC licensing test(s) • 86 -      Highly Qualified based on Other State licensing test(s) • 85 -      Highly Qualified based on a graduate degree • 84 -      Highly Qualified based on master’s level licensure or above • 83 -      Highly Qualified based on NBPTS • 82 -      Highly Qualified based on NC HOUSSE standard • 81 -      Highly Qualified based on Other State HOUSSE standard • 80 -      Highly Qualified based on Other State’s

15. Routes to Licensure • State approved teacher education program completers • Reciprocity – Interstate Agreement (For Out-Of State approved teacher education program completer and Alternative Program completion) • Regional Alternative Licensing Centers (RALC) • Lateral Entry

16. Reciprocity is… • An interstate agreement that recognizes completion of… • either state-approved teacher education programs or alternate routes to certification and • those who have met one of the NCLB “highly qualified” criteria • An IHE must be regionally accredited and must have a state-approved program that leads to licensure in that state

17. Reciprocity is NOT… • An exemption from North Carolina’s specific mandates. • Recognition of a license based solely on completing a test.

18. Required Reciprocal Documents When an alternate route to licensure has been completed, the applicant will need to provide the following: • A completed NC licensure application, • The state’s Department of Educationalternate route requirements and how those requirements were met, • Required processing fee $85.00.

19. The Standard Professional 1 • To be eligible for a Standard Professional ! License the individual must have completed an approved teacher education program AND meet the federal requirement to be designated “Highly Qualified.” • Teachers & student service personnel from other states who have been designated “Highly Qualified” in that state, shall be deemed “Highly Qualified” in North Carolina. They must provide evidence they are “HQ.” This can be a copy of their test score reports, verification they have satisfied the other state’s HOUSSE, or documentation of National Board Certification (if not Elementary Education, Exceptional Children or ESL applicants).

20. The Standard Professional 1 • The license will be issued for 3 years. • Beginning teachers are still expected to have a mentor. • Beginning teachers are still expected to have Individual Growth Plans. • Probationary teachers are still expected to have 4 observations each year and a summative evaluation.

21. Converting the Standard Professional 1 to a Standard Professional 2 License To convert a Standard Professional 1 License to a Standard Professional 2 License, the individual must have: 1) three years of satisfactory teaching experience; 2) verification of the LEA intent to offer re-employment to the teacher for the following year. The teacher will not be required to accept the offer of re-employment. 3) complete any professional development activities prescribed by the employing school system/complete BTSP with satisfactory evaluation; and • satisfactorily complete NC testing requirements for the teaching area or • satisfactorily complete the NC HOUSSE for the teaching area or • receive a satisfactory evaluation in the most recent year of employment in North Carolina, which verifies the ability to positively impact student learning.

22. Standard Professional 2 License • Teachers with 3 or more years of teaching experience. • Teachers who are fully licensed and highly qualified in another state AND who meet NC’s Praxis testing requirements OR have National Board Certification will be issued the SP2 license (except for Elementary Education, EC or ESL must meet NC’s Praxis testing). • Teachers who are fully licensed and highly qualified in another state with 3 or more years of teaching experience and have NOT met NC’s Praxis testing requirements OR have National Board Certification (except for Elementary Education, EC or ESL must meet NC’s Praxis testing) will be issued the SP2 license after 1 year of satisfactory teaching and the LEA recommendation.

23. Standard Professional 2 License • Equivalent of the current Continuing License • Five-year renewable license • Must earn 15 renewal credits every five years

24. Adding on license areas • Teachers who have a clear “non-restricted” teaching license can add another teaching area by passing the required Praxis II exams Or by • Documenting completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of course work (at a ‘C’ or above) in the requested license area • Teachers who have a clear teaching license and complete an approved teacher education program in another area do not need to satisfy the Praxis II requirements unless required by NCLB (Special Service Personnel).

25. The Licensure Policy to… Facilitate the Licensing of Administrators and Instructional Support Personnel as Teachers • At the request of an employing school system, an individual who holds a clear (non-restricted) license in a teaching, administrative, supervisory, or student services area may be issued a lateral entry license in a teaching area provided he/she meets the federal requirements to be designated highly qualified in the teaching area. • Licensed educators who are issued a lateral entry license shall be subject to the requirements for lateral entry teachers detailed in Section 1.70 of this policy. December, 2007

26. Lateral Entry Policy • Effective 7/1/08, individuals who do not fulfill the requirements of their lateral entry license within the three years they are initially given may be issued another lateral entry license provided: • They have passed the required Praxis II exam(s) for the specialty area in which the license will be issued AND •  At least six years from the effective date of the initial lateral entry has passed.

27. The Lateral Entry Chart

28. Lateral Entry Licenses (cont) • Will be issued for three years • Relevant degree must include a minimum of 24 semester hours of specific course work as outlined • Must pass test(s) for the license area • Cumulative hours (6 per year) must be earned yearly

29. Renewal & Reinstatement(Reference: APA 16 NCAC 6C.307 – 11/03/2011) • Please contact Mark Cramer if you would like your school’s renewal licenses printed (automated process). • Individuals teaching grades K-12 must complete 7.5 renewal credits during each five-year renewal cycle effective August 1, 2011. • School administrators must earn at least 7.5 renewal credits during each five-year renewal cycle that meet stated requirements

30. The Renewal Plan Guide • In order to administer license renewal, a License Renewal Plan must be submitted and approved by the Licensure Section. • The plan must demonstrate that the school has the capacity to administer renewal activities in accordance with the policies of the State Board of Education. • The Renewal Plan must be renewed and submitted for approval every five (5) years. • In order to Recommend SP II for initial licensed individuals, a BTSP must be submitted and approved

31. Licensure Renewal • Please keep in mind the following: • If five or more years have passed a Form U is required. • There is a $55.00 processing fee to renew an expired license. • Submit renewal applications in bulk with experience forms • Must have an approved Beginning Teacher Support Program in order to request a SP2 license.

32. How to Contact Licensure Mailing Address NCDPI, Licensure Section 6365 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-6365 Telephone Numbers (919) 807-3310 (Main Line) (800) 577-7994 (Toll Free in NC only) (919) 807-3350 (Fax number)

33. Websites for Licensure Information • Licensure information can be obtained at the following website: http://www.publicschools.org/work4nc • Regional Alternative Licensing Centers http://www.ralc.ccs.k12.nc.us/index.htm • Personnel administrators and other authorized users can access licensure forms, manual & NCLB data at https://licsalweb/ • Praxis Information www.ets.org/praxis • Regional Accrediting Agencies Website: http://www.chea.org/institutions/index.cfm

34. Licensure Forms & Manual • The revised licensure forms are on LicSal. Please contact the DPI Systems Accounting Office, Chris Knower, Section Chief for registration information • The forms are also located in HRMS. • The manual’s updates are in progress…

35. Regional Alternative Licensure Centers {RALCs} • Please submit information in a timely fashion. • Unless there are extenuating circumstances to recommend an individual for a clear license, the RALC must have a CURRENT satisfactory summative evaluation in the teaching area. • The individual must be teaching to be recommended for a license through the RALC.

36. RALC LOCATION LISTING

37. Thank You for Allowing us to Serve You Comments Questions