La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXXXI-521

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

Section CXXXI-521 - Certification of Personnel in Nonpublic School Systems Meeting Nonpublic Standards

A. As outlined in Bulletin 741 (Nonpublic)-Louisiana Handbook for Nonpublic School Administrators, the standards listed below are the requirements to meet nonpublic certification standards.

B. Principals

1. A nonpublic school principal, assistant principal, or headmaster must hold a graduate degree in any area from an institution accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602, have principalship on the Louisiana teaching certificate, or hold the EDL certificate. The principal is to be a full-time, on-site employee and may be a teacher as well as the educational administrator of the school.

2. Assistant principals who do not meet minimum qualifications may be retained in a school if they were employed in that school during the 1992-93 school year as an assistant principal.

3. A list of the exempted assistant principals is to be maintained on file in the LDE. Upon retirement or replacement, the assistant principal must be replaced with properly qualified personnel under the nonpublic school standards. The exempted individuals may not be transferred or employed by another school unless the requirements stated in the above standard are met.

C. Instructional Staff. Each member of the instructional staff teaching secular subjects, grade levels pre-kindergarten through 12, shall meet one of the following three options:

1. hold a valid Louisiana teaching certificate for the courses taught;

2. qualify to teach in nonpublic schools by meeting all of the following criteria:

a. have a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 ;

b. have a college major or the equivalent in the area of the teaching assignment, and for teachers in selfcontained classrooms in grades 1 through 8, the major shall be in elementary education; and

c. earn 12 semester hours of Knowledge of the Learner and the Learning Environment, with a beginning teacher having a three-year period in which to meet the 12-semester hour requirement that provides the prospective teacher with a fundamental understanding of the learner and the teaching and learning process through coursework addressing the needs of the regular and the exceptional child, such as:

i. child/adolescent development/psychology;

ii. educational psychology;

iii. the learner with special needs;

iv. classroom organization and management; and v. multicultural education.

3. Teachers who do not meet the requirements of Paragraphs 1 or 2 of this Section may obtain a nonpublic temporary teaching authorization (T) issued by the LDE or a diocesan superintendent for schools within the diocesan system, which is valid for one year, with renewal based upon the teacher completing six semester hours needed to complete the requirements of Paragraphs 1 or 2 of this Section.

a. Teachers of grades 1 through 8 without an elementary education major shall also work towards a practitioner's license through an alternative program as outlined in this part and Bulletin 996.

D. A teacher may teach in areas other than the major field for a period of time that is less than one-half of the school day provided at least 12 semester hours were earned in each such area, with an exception made for teachers in trade and industrial education classes who hold a degree from an institution accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 and have earned 12 semester hours of professional education courses.

1. A graduate of a foreign university or college, regardless of the college major, may teach a foreign language if that language is his/her native tongue, and the teacher must earn 12 semester hours of professional education courses within a three year period.

E. Teachers of the pre-kindergarten class shall be certified or qualified in either elementary, kindergarten, or pre-kindergarten or have earned 12 hours in child growth and development. The 12 hours in child growth and development may be earned through the College of Education or the Department/School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

F. Teachers of a kindergarten class shall be certified or qualified in either elementary or kindergarten or have earned 12 hours in child growth and development. The 12 hours in child growth and development may be earned through the College of Education or the Department/School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

G. Staff members teaching religion at the high school level (9-12) for Carnegie units must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Staff members teaching religion that do not meet minimum qualifications may be retained in a school provided they were employed during the 1995-96 school year as teachers of religion.

H. Professional and/or technical personnel such as C.P.A.s, doctors, college or university professors, lab technicians, and attorneys may teach less than one-half of a school day in the area of expertise.

I. Credentials for graduates of foreign universities or colleges must be evaluated by a credentialing agency that is an endorsed member or a member in good standing with either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) for evaluation according to the LDOE procedures. After reviewing the evaluation, the local administrator shall determine if the applicant is qualified to teach according to the requirements of this Section, and a copy of the evaluation shall be kept on file in the principal's office.

1. Applicants with foreign credentials seeking state certification should follow procedures as outlined by the LDE.

J. Teachers in nonpublic schools seeking state certification shall follow the LDE procedure for submission.

1. Secondary and elementary personnel may teach grade levels preK-12 in the qualified areas.

K. A teacher may be considered qualified without having the 12 hours of Knowledge of the Learner and the Learning Environment courses contingent upon the following:

1. the teacher has documented experience at one of the following levels:

a. ten years teaching experience at the collegiate level as an assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor; or

b. ten years teaching experience in an approved elementary, middle, or secondary school; and

2. the teacher has the content knowledge qualifications required in §521 of this Part; or

3. the teacher has a graduate degree in the teaching area; and

4. the teacher has taught for a probationary period of at least one year with a satisfactory evaluation at the employing school.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXXXI-521

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 48436 (3/1/2022), Repromulgated LR 481039 (4/1/2022), Amended LR 50661 (5/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:6(A)(10), (11), and (15), R.S. 17:7(6), R.S. 17:10, R.S. 17:22(6), R.S. 17:391.1- 391.10, and R.S. 17:411.