The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 87, aims to establish a lifetime teaching license specifically for individuals teaching American Indian languages in American Indian language programs. Under the current law, individuals with a provisional teaching license can obtain a tier III lifetime license after completing six semesters of teaching experience. However, this bill introduces a new provision that allows federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands to evaluate applicants for this lifetime license. If a tribe opts to exercise this right, they must notify the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in writing, and the DPI will only issue a lifetime license if the tribe endorses the applicant as qualified.

The bill amends existing statutes by deleting the previous provision that allowed the DPI to issue a lifetime license without tribal endorsement and inserts a new requirement that mandates tribal evaluation for applicants wishing to teach the associated American Indian language. Additionally, the bill outlines the process for tribal governments to assess applicants' language skills and communicate their endorsement or lack thereof to the DPI. This legislative change aims to ensure that individuals teaching American Indian languages are not only qualified but also recognized by the respective tribal communities.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.19(18)(bg)1, 118.19