Pending Regulation

Title 5 - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Division 80 - Teacher Quality and Urban Education

Chapter 800 - Educator Certification

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Comments about this proposed amendment must be submitted by April 2, 2008, to the
Assistant Commissioner of Teacher Quality and Urban Education, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480;
or by e-mail to this address: webreplyqual@dese.mo.gov .

5 CSR 80-800.380 Required Assessments for Professional Education Certification in Missouri. The State Board of Education is amending section (1) and the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference.

PURPOSE: This amendment adds the National Association of School Psychologists to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as a certifying agent for school psychologists, incorporates changes in the Compendium to update certification requirements for Library Media Specialist and corrects typographical errors as of January 2008.

(1) Each applicant seeking a Missouri certificate of license to teach will successfully complete an exit assessment to measure the applicant’s competency in subject matter, pedagogical knowledge, or both, prior to being granted the certificate.  An exemption exists if the applicant holds a valid certificate of license to teach from another state.

(A) The State Board of Education (board) has selected the Praxis II: Content Knowledge or Specialty Area assessments and the Principles of Learning and Teaching assessments developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) as the exit assessments for certificates of license to teach. Qualifying scores are established by the board and published by ETS for each assessment designated for an area of certification. 

1. Applicants seeking initial certificates of license to teach must complete and achieve a Missouri qualifying score in the content knowledge or specialty area assessment in their major area of preparation or the appropriate principles of learning and teaching assessment if no content knowledge or specialty area assessment is designated, except in the areas of special education, student services, and administration (see Appendix A, which is included herein).

2. Applicants holding a valid Missouri professional or life certificate of license to teach in a content area who are seeking an additional certificate(s) of license to teach in another content area(s), will receive the additional certificate(s) upon meeting either of the following conditions:

A.  Complete and achieve a Missouri qualifying score for the Praxis II content knowledge or specialty area assessment designated for the certificate of license to teach, except for the areas of unified science, special education other than mild/moderate cross-categorical disabilities, student services, administration, career education, and adult education and literacy; or

B. Successfully complete the applicable certification requirements as set forth in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements (compendium), which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule.  Anyone interested in viewing or requesting a copy of the compendium, published by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (revised [June 2007] 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.

3.  Applicants holding a valid Missouri professional or life certificate of license to teach in a secondary content area who are seeking additional certification for middle school in the same content area, will receive the additional certification upon meeting either of the following conditions:

A. Complete and achieve a Missouri qualifying score for the Praxis II:  Principles of Learning and Teaching, grades five through nine (5-9), assessments; or

B. Successfully complete the applicable certification requirements for middle school education, grades five through nine (5-9), as set forth in the compendium.

(B) In addition to the previously described assessments, the board will accept successful completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) or, for school psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) assessment as meeting the exit assessment requirement for Missouri.  Therefore, applicants seeking a Missouri certificate of license to teach having certification granted by the NBPTS or NASP are not required to take the exit assessment designated by the board in the content area for which they hold NBPTS or NASP certification.

AUTHORITY:  sections 161.092, 168.021, 168.071, 168.081 and 168.400, RSMo Supp. [2006]2007 and 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 March 1, 2002, effective Sept. 30, 2002.  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.

PUBLIC COST:  This proposed amendment will not cost state agencies or political subdivisions more than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate. 

PRIVATE COST:  This proposed amendment will not cost private entities more than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate.

NOTICE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS:  Anyone may file a statement in support of or in opposition to this proposed amendment with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Attention:  Dr. Charles Brown, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Teacher Quality and Urban Education, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480, or by email to Tammy.Allee@dese.mo.gov.  To be considered, comments must be received within thirty (30) days after publication of this notice in the Missouri Register.  No public hearing is scheduled.

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