SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2521
As Further Amended by House Committee on K-
12 Education Budget
Brief*
HB 2521, as amended, would require the State Board of
Education (State Board) to authorize individuals who have
completed an alternative teacher certification program to
apply for and obtain a restricted teaching license.
Alternative Teacher Certification Program
The bill would define an “alternative teacher certification
program” to mean a teacher preparation program that:
● Operates in at least five states;
● Has been in operation at least ten years;
● Includes subject-area content training and
pedagogical training that covers effective
instructional delivery, classroom management and
organization, assessment, instructional design, and
professional learning and leadership; and
● Requires applicants to pass a subject area
examination and a pedagogy examination to
successfully complete the program.
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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
Applicant for a Restricted Teaching License
The bill would require an individual who applies for an
restricted teaching license under its provisions to:
● Submit an official transcript to confirm the awarding
of a bachelor’s degree or higher in any field of
stiudy from a college or university that has an
accreditation recognized by the State Board;
● Submit proof of completion of the alternative
teacher program and a passing score on a subject
area examination approved by the State Board or a
Praxis test;
● Submit an application for a restricted license with
the required licensure fees;
● Complete all background check requirements; and
● Comply with any other requirements established by
the State Board that are comparable to other
licensing requirements established by the State
Board.
The bill would further provide that an individual who
obtains an initial teaching license based on completion of this
program would be authorized to teach the subject area and
educational level that correspond to the certification received
through the applicant’s successful completion of the
alternative teacher certification program, including:
● Elementary education;
● Elementary education unified;
● English language arts;
● History, government, and social studies;
● Mathematics;
● General Science;
● Biology;
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● Chemistry;
● Physics;
● Secondary education unified; and
● High-incidence and low-incidence special
education.
State Board of Education; Mentorship; Progress Report
The bill would provide that an individual who obtains or
who seeks to obtain the restricted license pursuant to
provisions of the bill will be required to participate in a school
district-based teacher mentorship program during the first two
years of the individual’s employment.
The bill would also require school district boards of
education, as part of this school district-based mentorship
program, to submit an annual progress report to the State
Board on a form and in the manner required by the State
Board. Such report would verify that the individual has made
appropriate progress towards full licensure.
The bill would provide at the end of the two-year
mentorship program, if appropriate progress has been made
towards full licensure, an individual who holds a restricted
license will be authorized to apply for an obtain a full Kansas
teaching license. Such individual would then be treated in the
same manner as an individual who completes a traditional
teacher preparation program. The bill would also specify that
if appropriate progress is not made towards full licensure, the
State Board could cancel the restricted license.
The bill would require the State Board to adopt rules and
regulations necessary to carry out the bill’s provisions.
Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on K-
12 Education Budget at the request of Representative
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Thomas. [Note: A companion bill, SB 407, has been
introduced in the Senate.]
House Committee on K-12 Education Budget
In the House Committee hearing on February 8, 2024, a
representative of the American Board for Certification of
Teacher Excellence (American Board) provided proponent
testimony, stating the American Board and other alternative
teacher preparation programs serve as an invaluable tool to
assist states in addressing teacher shortages. The conferee
noted the American Board’s program is intended to
complement existing pathways to licensure and enhance the
pools of teachers in Kansas schools. Program participation,
duration, cost, and programming information were also
provided.
Written-only proponent testimony was submitted by
representatives of Americans for Prosperity-Kansas and the
Kansas Policy Institute. This testimony generally addressed
the need to reduce present barriers to licensure, which would
expand the teacher base statewide.
Written-only neutral testimony was submitted by a
representative of Topeka Public Schools (USD 501), who
indicated support for rigorous training of teachers through
criteria established by and with approval of the State Board.
Opponent testimony was provided by representatives of
the State Board, the Kansas Association of School Boards,
Kansas National Education Association, and USA-Kansas
and the Kansas School Superintendents’ Association. The
opponents generally noted the current regulated alternative
licensure program and pathways in place in Kansas and the
recent enactment of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact,
which will serve as another tool for recruitment. A State Board
member addressed the Board’s constitutional responsibility
for licensing teachers, indicating that educator preparation
programs currently are and must be subject to accreditation
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by the Board and requirements currently in place for
applicants for licensure.
The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget
amended the bill to:
● Remove language that provided applicants would
not have to either complete a professional
education pedagogy coursework at an accredited
college or university engaged in teacher
preparation or hold a valid teaching license in
another state that was earned through completion
of an alternative teacher certification program;
● Modify an application requirement to specify the
official transcript must be from a college or
university that has an accreditation recognized by
the State Board;
● Revise subject areas and educational level
certifications to align with some of the content
areas within Kansas teacher licensure
requirements;
● Change language that would permit the State
Board to require an individual to participate in a
mentorship program during the individual’s first
year of employment to instead require the
individual to participate in this program for the first
two years of employment in Kansas; and
● Permit the State Board to grant a restricted or
probationary teacher license while an applicant
under the program is completing the required
mentorship.
The bill was recommended favorably for passage as
amended on February 20, 2024. The bill was withdrawn from
the House Calendar on February 22, 2024, and referred to
the House Committee on Appropriations. It was then
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withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and
re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education
Budget.
On March 5, 2024, the House Committee discussed the
bill, as amended. The House Committee further amended the
bill to:
● Replace licensure references for applications for
and obtaining an initial teaching license with a
restricted teaching license throughout the bill;
● Clarify the education requirement contained on an
official transcript could be for a bachelor’s degree
or higher in any field of study;
● Require applicants to submit proof of a passing
score on subject area examination approved by the
State Board or a Praxis test;
● Require applicants to comply with any other
requirements established by the State Board that
are comparable to other licensing requirements
established by the State Board; and
● Replace and insert provisions creating mentorship
requirements to require school districts, as part of a
school-district based mentorship program, to
submit a progress report each year to the State
Board to verify the individual has made progress
towards full licensure;
● Authorize an individual who has appropriate
progress after the two-year mentorship program to
apply for and obtain a full teaching license; if such
individual has not made appropriate progress at
the end of the two-year program, the State Board
could cancel the restricted license.
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Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, enactment of the bill
would have no fiscal effect for the State Department of
Education. The Division of the Budget notes that any
administrative expenses that would be required to implement
the bill would be performed by existing agency staff.
Education; alternative teacher certification program; teacher licensure; restricted
license; full licensure; certification; State Board of Education; rules and regulations
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