This bill amends provisions related to teacher education and licensing in Iowa, specifically focusing on practitioner preparation programs and the requirements for licenses issued by the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). Starting July 1, 2027, higher education institutions must include clinical experiences in their programs to prepare students to serve students with disabilities and English learners. The bill mandates that these programs establish practicum and clinical experience standards, including a minimum of fifteen hours for all students and forty hours for those seeking an endorsement in English learner instruction. Additionally, the Department of Education (DE) is tasked with reviewing and supporting the implementation of these standards.

Furthermore, the bill requires that prior to completing their practitioner preparation program, students must take a summative end-of-program assessment to measure their preparedness in the relevant content areas. DE is responsible for creating and distributing a unified assessment for each endorsement area by July 1, 2027, and setting minimum passing scores. Higher education institutions must report student performance on these assessments, and starting August 1, 2028, DE will publish data on passage rates and support efforts for program improvements. Lastly, the BOEE is required to adopt rules for individuals applying to teach in special education settings, mandating the completion of a self-paced course on essential competencies as a condition for obtaining a class B or conditional license.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.16, 256.146