Report Title:

DOE; Teachers; Licensure Reciprocity

Description:

Establishes teacher licensure reciprocity with other states' licensure and national board certification.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2427

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to teachers.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Current data suggests that most teachers who quit do so within their first few years of teaching. Given the need for a steady influx of large amounts of new teachers every year, teacher retention is one of the most important ingredients in a successful public education system. Many factors keep teachers in the classroom, productive, happy and successful. These include adequate pay, practical mentorship for novice and underachieving teachers, social prestige for the profession, administrative support, up-to-date technology, recognition of accomplished teaching, professional development, and a host of other factors. Of course, not all of these can be solved legislatively. Those that can, however, should be. One such area is teacher licensure. Reciprocity with other states' teacher licensure programs and national board certification will minimize the bureaucratic difficulties that often cause many first-year public school teachers to resign out of frustration.

The purpose of this Act is to establish reciprocity between the teacher licensure standards of the State of Hawaii and those of other states.

SECTION 2. Section 302A-802, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) In the development of its standards, the board shall consider the existing teacher applicant pool that is available in the State and the level of the qualification of these applicants, as well as the nature and availability of existing preservice higher education teacher training programs. The board shall also [consider alternative routes to licensing, such as national teacher examinations that certify competency in subject areas or programs taught in the public schools.]:

(A) Establish alternative routes to licensing, such as national teacher examinations that certify competency in subject areas or programs taught in the public schools; and

(B) Accept as equivalent to State of Hawaii licensing standards the credentials of teachers who transfer into department schools from Hawaii private schools or out-of-state schools who are currently:

(i) Licensed according to the teacher licensure standards of other states; or

(ii) National board certified,

for the remaining term of such license or certification up to a maximum of ten years."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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