La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXXXI-515

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section CXXXI-515 - Practitioner Licenses

A. Issuance and Renewals

1. Practitioner licenses (PL) 1 and 2 may be issued for one year, renewed annually, and held for a maximum of three years while the holder completes an alternate program. Upon completion of the three years of employment on a PL certificate, the holder must fulfill guidelines for a level 1 or higher-level certificate for continued employment in a Louisiana school system.

2. The practitioner license 3 may be issued for one year, renewed annually, and held for a maximum of four years while the holder completes an alternate program. Upon completion of the four years of employment on a PL certificate, the holder must fulfill guidelines for a level 1 or higher-level certificate for continued employment in a Louisiana school system.

3.Practitioner Licenses 1-3. Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, in order to obtain the first renewal only of a practitioner license 1, 2, or 3 certificate, practitioner candidates participating in a residency as a teacher of record, must receive mentorship by a school system-based mentor teacher who may collaborate with other personnel providing mentoring support, in accordance with LAC 28:XLV (Bulletin 996).

a. The school system-based mentor teacher must be credentialed in accordance with §553 or §1369 of this Chapter.

b. The mentorship must be at least 15 percent, or 5 hours per week, of the instructional time of the school.

c. The mentorship must include intensive support, including:

i. co-teaching;

ii. collaborative planning; and

iii. observation and feedback sessions.

4. Eligibility requirements:

a. minimum of a non-education baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 ;

b. 2.20 or higher undergraduate GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter a teacher preparation program or documentation of conditional acceptance into a teacher preparation program; and

c. passing scores on certification content area exam requirements in accordance with §303 of this Part, or if no examination has been adopted for Louisiana in the certification area, candidates must present a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework specific to the content area for admission to the program.

d. Special education mild/moderate certification candidates must qualify for admission to alternate programs by passing a Praxis content area exam, and secondary education candidates (grades 6-12) must pass a Praxis core subject area exam, or if there is no content Praxis exam adopted by the State in the specific secondary core subject area, candidates must demonstrate content mastery by presenting 30 semester credit hours in the core subject area.

5. The approved teacher preparation program provider shall submit the request for the initial practitioner license as well as renewals directly to the LDE.

6. Renewal Requirements. The candidate must remain enrolled in the practitioner teacher, certification-only, or master's degree alternate certification program and fulfill a minimum of six semester hours of coursework or equivalent contact hours per year for PL 1, or nine semester hours or equivalent contact hours per year for Pl2/3 to the extent that required semester hours remain in the program to be completed, teaching assignments, and prescribed activities identified by the program provider.

a. Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the first renewal only of a PL 1, 2, or 3 will be conducted in accordance with §515.A of this Chapter.

7. - 7.e. Repealed.

8. The teacher must teach in the specific grade level and content area as designated on the practitioner license as outlined in LAC 28:XLV (Bulletin 996).

B. Practitioner License 1 is issued to a candidate who is admitted to and enrolled in a state-approved practitioner teacher program. Program requirements must be completed within the three-year maximum that the license can be held.

C. Practitioner License 2 is issued to a candidate who is admitted to and enrolled in a state-approved certification-only alternate certification program. Program requirements must be completed within the three-year maximum that the license can be held.

D. Practitioner License 3 is issued to a candidate who is admitted to and enrolled in a state-approved master's degree alternate certification program. Program requirements must be completed within the four-year maximum that the license can be held.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXXXI-515

Amended LR 48433 (3/1/2022), Repromulgated LR 481037 (4/1/2022), Amended LR 482555 (10/1/2022), Amended LR 4939 (1/1/2023), Amended LR 49, 8/23/2023, exp. 2/19/2024(Emergency), Amended LR 5026 (1/1/2024), Amended LR 501150 (8/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:8.1 - 8.2 and R.S. 17:6, 17:7(6).