Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-2-.20

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 290-3-2-.20 - Certificates Issued By Another State(s), The District Of Columbia, A U.S. Territory, Or The Department Of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Approach

(1)Overview. An individual who holds a valid professional educator certificate issued by another state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. Territory, or the Department of Defense Education Activity (henceforth in this Rule referred to as "another state") may seek an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate. This approach is commonly referred to as Certificate Reciprocity.

(2) Limitations on Issuance.

(a) An individual may be eligible for Alabama certification only if the professional educator certificate issued by another state is in an area, at a grade level, and at degree level in which Alabama offers comparable certification.

(b) Alabama does not offer certification based on "in-field" or "supplemental" or "endorsement" areas which are contingent upon the individual holding other professional educator certificates.

(c) Speech-Language Pathology certification is not available through this approach.

(d) The issuance of Professional Educator Certificates in areas of instructional support and Professional Leadership Certificates require verification of prior professional educational work experience in a P-12 setting. Additional information is in Rule 290-3-2-.03.

(e) Certification will not be considered if Alabama no longer offers certification at the degree level of the professional educator certificate issued by another state. An individual may be eligible for Alabama certification in an area in which Alabama does not currently offer, but has previously offered, certification.

(f) Alabama does not offer certification at the doctoral level.

(3)Degree Requirements. Degrees applied to meet certification requirements must be from regionally accredited senior institutions, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.02(7).

(a) For teaching fields, verification on an official transcript(s) of an earned bachelor's or higher degree.

(b) For areas of instructional support, verification on an official transcript(s) of an earned master's or higher degree.

(4)Application. The applicant is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section the current application for this approach and documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.20 and on the application.

(5)Requirements for Teaching Fields. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.

(a) Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(c) Successful completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).

(d) Verification of the applicant's valid professional educator certificate in a teaching field shall be based on submission of one of the following:

1. The original professional educator certificate issued by another state.

2. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

(e) The completion of a graduate-level (master's degree level or higher) state-approved P-12 educator preparation program may be verified on Form VER for consideration of advancing the degree level of the Alabama certificate offered to an applicant whose valid professional educator certificate issued by another state reflects an area of comparable certification, but does not reflect a degree level.

1. The program must require at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the teaching field at the degree level of the program. However, if by institutional policy a major in the teaching field is not posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in the teaching field is required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.

(6)Requirements for Instructional Support Areas other than Areas of Administration or Supervision. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.

(a) Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(c) Successful completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).

(d) Verification of the applicant's valid graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an instructional support area other than administration or supervision shall be based on submission of one of the following:

1. The original professional educator certificate issued by another state.

2. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

1. The program must require at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the area of instructional support at the degree level of the program. However, if by institutional policy a major in the area of instructional support is not posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in the area of instructional support is required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.

(f) Verification of at least two full years of full-time, professional educational work experience in a P-12 school system(s). Professional educational work experience in increments of less than one semester will not apply toward the calculation of two full years. Experience must be verified on Supplement EXP.

(7)Requirements for Areas of Educational Administration. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.

(a) Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(c) Successful completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).

(d) Verification of the applicant's valid graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an area of educational administration shall be based on submission of one of the following:

1. The original professional educator certificate issued by another state.

2. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

1. The program must require at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the area of educational administration at the degree level of the program. However, if by institutional policy a major in the area of educational administration is not posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in the area of educational administration is required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.

(f) Verification of at least three full years of full-time professional educational work experience in a P-12 school system(s) which must include at least one full year of full-time classroom teaching experience. Professional educational work experience in increments of less than one semester will not apply toward the calculation of three full years. Experience must be verified on Supplement EXP.

(g) Certification in the area of Instructional Leadership will not be issued through this approach.

(8)Requirements for Areas of Supervision. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.

(a) Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

(b) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(c) Successful completion of the degree requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.20(3).

(d) Verification of the applicant's valid graduate-level (master's degree, sixth-year, education specialist, and/or doctoral level) professional educator certificate in an area of supervision shall be based on submission of one of the following:

1. The original professional educator certificate issued by another state.

2. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

1. The program must require at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit and the transcript must post a major in the area of supervision at the degree level of the program. However, if by institutional policy a major in the area of supervision is not posted, verification of having earned at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit in the area of supervision is required. The 12 semester hours of graduate credit may not include credit for internship, practicum, student teaching, or lab experiences. This credit must have been earned prior to the date of program completion and must not have been applied to the prior issuance of an Alabama certificate in any area.

(9)Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). The applicant must meet the requirements of the AECAP for this approach.

(10) Degree Level. The Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate issued through this approach shall be issued at the degree level of the professional educator certificate issued by another state or at a degree level based on Supplement VER.

(11)Valid Period. The valid period of the certificate shall be from the date of issuance through the remainder of the same scholastic year, and thereafter, for the next five consecutive scholastic years.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-2-.20

Adopted by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 06, March 31, 2016, eff. 4/24/2016.

Author: Dr. Thomas R. Bice

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, Ala. Const. Amend. 284, §§ 16-3-11, 16-23-1, 16-23-2.