Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

This page contains the text of a regulation adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education.  An official copy of the full text of this regulation is contained in the Code of State Regulations, published by the Office of Secretary of State.

Title 5-DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Division 80 - Teacher Quality and Urban Education
Chapter 800 - Educator Certification

5 CSR 80-800.220 Application for Certificate of License to Teach for Administrators

PURPOSE: The State Board of Education is authorized to grant certificates of license to teach in any of the public schools of the state and establish requirements and qualifications for those certificates. This rule outlines the procedures for application for a certificate of license to teach for school administrators including superintendent, principal, special education administrator and career education director.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The secretary of state has determined that the publication of the entire text of the material which is incorporated by reference as a portion of this rule would be unduly cumbersome or expensive.  This material as incorporated by reference in this rule shall be maintained by the agency at its headquarters and shall be made available to the public for inspection and copying at no more than the actual cost of reproduction.  This note applies only to the reference material.  The entire text of the rule is printed here.

(1) An applicant may be granted an administrator certificate of license to teach in the following areas subject to the specific certification requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements (compendium) which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and criteria established in the rules promulgated by the State Board of Education (board), to an individual who possess good moral character.  Anyone interested in viewing or requesting a copy of the compendium, published by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (revised January 2008), may contact the Educator Certification Section, 205 Jefferson Street, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480.  This rule does not incorporate any subsequent amendments or additions:

(A) Superintendent, grades K-12;

(B) Principal, grades K-8; grades 5-9; and/or grades 7-12;

(C) Special education administrator, grades K-12; and/or

(D) Career education director.

(2) Applications for an administrator Missouri certificate of license to teach shall be submitted on the forms provided by the board, accompanied by the appropriate fee and may be obtained by writing the Educator Certification Section of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) at PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or by downloading from the Internet.

(3) An application is not considered officially filed with the board until it has been determined by the board or DESE staff to be complete and the application is submitted on the forms provided by the board, signed and accompanied by two (2) full sets of fingerprints with the appropriate fee as set by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (Highway Patrol) and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and any other applicable forms and/or fees.  All information should be received by the board within ninety (90) days of the date of the application.

(A)  The applicant is responsible for submitting the fingerprints in the manner acceptable to the Highway Patrol and/or FBI and the payment of any fees required by the Highway Patrol and/or FBI.

(4)  The applicant shall request and obtain the recommendation of the designated certification official for a state-approved baccalaureate or higher level teacher preparation program.

(5)  The applicant must possess a baccalaureate degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program.

(6) The applicant shall submit verification of certification or licensure directly to DESE including information regarding any disciplinary action from each state or United States’ territory regulatory entity in which a professional license, including a certificate of license to teach, is held or has ever been held.

(7)  The applicant for an initial administrator certificate of license to teach as a superintendent must comply with the following additional criteria:

(A) The applicant shall request and obtain the recommendation of the designated certification official for a state-approved educational specialist or advanced degree program for the preparation of superintendents;

(B) The applicant must achieve a score equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the exit assessment(s) as defined in the rules promulgated by the board. The official score report shall be submitted to DESE; and

(C)  The applicant must have served one (1) year as a building- or district-level administrator at a public or accredited nonpublic school.

(8) The applicant for an initial administrator certificate of license to teach as a principal must comply with the following additional criteria:

(A)  The applicant shall request and obtain the recommendation of the designated certification official for a state-approved master’s program or higher in educational leadership for the preparation of principals;

(B)  The applicant must possess a master’s degree or higher from a state-approved program for the preparation of principals;

(C)  The applicant must possess two (2) years of teaching experience; and

(D)  The applicant must achieve a score equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the building-level administrator’s assessment(s) as defined in the rules promulgated by the board.  The official score report shall be submitted to DESE.

(9) The applicant for an initial administrator certificate of license to teach as a special education administrator must comply with the following additional criteria:

(A) The applicant shall request and obtain the recommendation of the designated certification official for a state-approved master’s program or higher in educational leadership for the preparation of principals;

(B) The applicant must possess or be eligible to possess a certificate of license to teach in an area of special education or student services;

(C) The applicant must possess two (2) years of teaching experience in special education or student services;

(D) Obtain a recommendation for certification from the designated official of a college/university approved by DESE; and

(E) The applicant must achieve a score equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the building-level administrator’s assessment(s) as defined in the rules promulgated by the board. The official score report shall be submitted to DESE.

(10) The applicant for an initial administrator certificate of license to teach as a career education director must comply with the following additional criteria:

(A)   The applicant must possess a master’s degree or higher from a state-approved program in educational leadership or in a certifiable area recognized in Missouri;

(B) The applicant must possess a baccalaureate degree from a four (4)-year college/university;

(C)  The applicant must possess a minimum of two (2) years teaching experience at grades seven (7) or higher approved by DESE or, for the postsecondary career education director a combination of two (2) years of teaching experience at grades seven (7) or higher and/or two (2) years of full-time experience at workforce development (adult education or customized training, et al.) in an educational setting; and

(D)  Successful completion of the building-level administrator’s assessment designated by the board (only required for secondary career education directors).

(11) An applicant for a Missouri administrator certificate of license to teach who possesses a valid administrator certificate of license to teach from another state and possesses good moral character may be granted a Missouri administrator certificate of license to teach.  The applicant shall submit the application on the forms provided by the board, signed and accompanied by two (2) full sets of fingerprints with the appropriate fee as set by the Highway Patrol and/or the FBI and any other applicable forms and/or fees.  All information should be received by the board within ninety (90) days of the date of the application.

(A)  The applicant is responsible for submitting the fingerprints in the manner acceptable to the Highway Patrol and/or FBI and the payment of any fees required by the Highway Patrol and/or FBI.

(12) Following review by DESE, the applicant shall be informed in writing of the decision regarding the application for a certificate of license to teach.

(13)  An initial administrator certificate of license to teach may be issued for a period of four (4) years and may be renewed as set forth in the compendium.

(14) The holder of an administrator certificate of license to teach shall ensure that DESE has their current legal name and address.

(A) A holder of an administrator certificate of license to teach whose name is changed shall notify DESE within ninety (90) days of the name change and provide a copy of the appropriate documents verifying the name change.

(B) A holder of an administrator certificate of license to teach whose address has changed shall inform DESE in writing of the change within ninety (90) days of the effective date of the change.

AUTHORITY: sections 161.092, 168.021, 168.071, 168.081 and 168.400, RSMo Supp. 2007 and sections 168.011, 168.405 and 168.409, RSMo 2000.*  Original rule filed April 26, 2000, effective Nov. 30, 2000.  Amended:  Filed March 27, 2001, effective Oct. 30, 2001.  Amended:  Filed Aug. 13, 2002, effective March 30, 2003. Amended:  Filed Sept. 12, 2003, effective April 30, 2004.  Amended:  Filed Sept. 22, 2004, effective April 30, 2005.  Amended:  Filed June 30, 2005, effective Jan. 30, 2006.  Amended:  Filed April 4, 2007, effective Nov. 30, 2007. Amended:  Filed Jan. 18, 2008, effective Sept. 30, 2008.

*Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003; 168.011, RSMo 1963, amended 1984; 168.021, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2003; 168.071, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003; 168.081, RSMo 1963, amended 1984, 2002; 168.400, RSMo 1985, amended 1990, 2002; 168.405, RSMo 1985; and 168.409, RSMo 1985.

For more information regarding this rule, please contact the
Educator Certification Section at (573) 751-0051.