Senate Bill 87 proposes amendments to the current law regarding the issuance of lifetime teaching licenses for American Indian languages. The bill introduces a new provision that allows federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands to evaluate applicants for a lifetime license to teach their associated language in an American Indian language program. Specifically, if a tribe opts to exercise this evaluation option, they must notify the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in writing. The DPI is then prohibited from issuing a lifetime license unless the tribe confirms that the applicant is qualified. This change modifies the existing process where individuals could obtain a lifetime license after completing six semesters of teaching experience.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the tribal government upon receiving notice of an application for a tier III lifetime license. The tribal government must assess the applicant's proficiency in the language and communicate their endorsement or lack thereof to the DPI. If the tribal government endorses the applicant as highly skilled, the DPI may issue the lifetime license; if not, the applicant may still be endorsed for a tier II license renewal. The bill aims to ensure that the teaching of American Indian languages is conducted by individuals who are recognized as proficient by the respective tribal authorities.

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