Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

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68th Legislature 2023                                                                                             SB 373.1
                                                 SENATE BILL NO. 373
    INTRODUCED BY D. SALOMON, F. ANDERSON, C. KNUDSEN, M. BERTOGLIO, B. LER, E. BUTTREY, L.
                 JONES, J. FULLER, J. SMALL, M. CUFFE, G. HERTZ, J. ELLSWORTH, C. SPRUNGER
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  A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION;
  ESTABLISHING ALTERNATIVE TEACHER CREDENTIALING; PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR
  APPLICANTS SEEKING ALTERNATIVE CREDENTIALING AND FOR ALTERNATIVE TEACHER
  CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION;
  AMENDING SECTION 20-4-104, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.”
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  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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          NEW SECTION. Section 1.          Alternative teacher credentialing. (1) The superintendent of public
  instruction shall issue a class 2 standard certificate to an applicant who meets all of the following requirements:
          (a)        the applicant holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university;
          (b)        the applicant passes a criminal history background check in the manner prescribed under rules
  adopted by the board of public education;
          (c)        the applicant completes coursework related to Indian education for all, pursuant to Title 20,
  chapter 1, part 5, that is required of other class 2 standard certificate applicants under rules adopted by the
  board of public education; and
          (d)        the applicant has successfully completed an alternative teacher certification program that
  includes the following:
          (i)        subject-area content training in the area in which the applicant seeks to be licensed; and
          (ii)       pedagogical training that covers effective instructional delivery, classroom management and
  organization, assessment, instructional design, and professional learning and leadership.
          (2)        An individual who successfully completes an alternative teacher certification program and who
  is granted a class 2 standard certificate under this section is authorized to teach the subjects and grade levels
  corresponding with the individual's completed alternative teacher certification program.
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68th Legislature 2023                                                                                             SB 373.1
          (3)      The state shall treat an individual who successfully earns a class 2 standard certificate under
  this section in the same manner as an individual who completes a traditional teacher preparation program and
  is issued a class 2 standard certificate, including following the same process for converting the class 2 standard
  certificate to a class 1 professional certificate.
          (4)      For purposes of this part, “alternative teacher certification program” means a teacher
  certification program that is not provided by a public or private institution of higher education, meets the
  requirements of this section, and has been approved by the superintendent of public instruction. The
  requirements for approval of an alternative teacher certification program may be no more burdensome than as
  provided in this section.
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          Section 2. Section 20-4-104, MCA, is amended to read:
          "20-4-104.    Qualifications. (1) A person may be certified as a teacher when the person satisfies the
  following qualifications. The person:
          (a)      is 18 years of age or older;
          (b)      is of good moral and professional character;
          (c)      (i) has completed the teacher education program of a unit of the Montana university system or
  an essentially equivalent program at an accredited institution of equal rank and standing as that of any unit of
  the Montana university system, and the training is evidenced by at least a bachelor's degree and a certification
  of the completion of the teacher education program, except as provided for in 20-4-106(1)(d);
          (ii)     possesses a current certification from the national board for professional teaching standards; or
          (iii)    possesses a current educator license from another state or country and successful experience
  as determined by the board of public education; or
          (iv)     has completed the alternative teacher certification program provided for in [section 1]; and
          (d)      has subscribed to the following oath or affirmation before an officer authorized by law to
  administer oaths:
          "I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support The Constitution of the United States of America and
  The Constitution of the State of Montana."
          (2)      Any person may be certified as a specialist when the person satisfies the requirements of
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68th Legislature 2023                                                                                                 SB 373.1
  subsections (1)(a) and (1)(b) and the requirement for a specialist certificate provided in 20-4-106(2)."
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          NEW SECTION. Section 3.          Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an
  integral part of Title 20, chapter 4, part 1, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 4, part 1, apply to [section 1].
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          NEW SECTION. Section 4.          Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
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                                                                 -3-                      Authorized Print Version – SB 373
Statutes affected: 
SB0373_1.pdf: 20-4-104
SB0373_2.pdf: 20-4-104
SB0373_3.pdf: 20-4-104
Amended: 20-4-104
Introduced: 20-4-104