This bill mandates the board of educational examiners (BOEE) to create additional endorsements for teachers in high-need areas, specifically fine arts, mathematics, and science, for prekindergarten through grade twelve. The BOEE is required to adopt rules for these endorsements, but applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution to qualify. Notably, these provisions will be repealed on July 1, 2030.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new endorsement for instructional strategists II for kindergarten through grade twelve that does not require applicants to have a master's or doctoral degree. This change aims to broaden the pool of qualified educators in critical teaching areas while maintaining certain educational standards for other endorsements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.146