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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY PAYTON, HORNAMAN, ROAE AND TRUITT, MAY 16, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 16, 2012 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An |
2 | act relating to the public school system, including certain |
3 | provisions applicable as well to private and parochial |
4 | schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the |
5 | laws relating thereto," further providing for certificates |
6 | qualifying persons to teach and for kinds of State |
7 | certificates; and providing for residency certificates. |
8 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
9 | hereby enacts as follows: |
10 | Section 1. Section 1201 of the act of March 10, 1949 |
11 | (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, |
12 | amended January 14, 1970 (1969 P.L.468, No.192), is amended to |
13 | read: |
14 | Section 1201. Certificates Qualifying Persons to Teach.-- |
15 | Only those persons holding one of the following certificates |
16 | shall be qualified to teach in the public schools of this |
17 | Commonwealth--(1) Permanent college certificate, (2) provisional |
18 | college certificate, (3) normal school diploma, (4) normal |
19 | school certificate, (5) special permanent certificate, (6) |
20 | special temporary certificate, (7) permanent State certificate, |
21 | (8) residency certificate, (9) certificates which are permanent |
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1 | licenses to teach by virtue of the provisions of section one |
2 | thousand three hundred eight of the act, approved the eighteenth |
3 | day of May, one thousand nine hundred eleven (Pamphlet Laws |
4 | 309), as amended, which is repealed hereby, or [(9)] (10) such |
5 | other kinds of certificates as are issued under the standards |
6 | prescribed by the State Board of Education. The State Board of |
7 | Education shall also provide for issuance of certificates by |
8 | district superintendents to meet such emergencies or shortage of |
9 | teachers as may occur. |
10 | Section 2. Section 1203 of the act is amended to read: |
11 | Section 1203. Kinds of State Certificates.--State |
12 | certificates hereafter granted shall include the following: |
13 | Provisional College Certificates, |
14 | Permanent College Certificates, |
15 | Certificates issued by other states and validated by the |
16 | Superintendent of Public Instruction, |
17 | Special Temporary Certificates, |
18 | Special Permanent Certificates[.], |
19 | Residency Certificates. |
20 | All persons receiving any of such certificates shall have |
21 | qualifications not less than graduation from a State Teachers' |
22 | College of this Commonwealth, or equivalent training. Residency |
23 | certificate program training completed under section 1207.1 |
24 | shall be considered equivalent training for purposes of this |
25 | act. |
26 | Every college certificate shall set forth the names of the |
27 | college or university from which its holder was graduated. State |
28 | certificates shall entitle their holders to teach in every part |
29 | of this Commonwealth for the terms herein specified. |
30 | Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read: |
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1 | Section 1207.1. Residency Certificates.--(a) The Secretary |
2 | of Education may make a one-time issuance of a residency |
3 | certificate for service in a specific shortage area of |
4 | instruction in public schools of this Commonwealth to an |
5 | applicant who meets all of the following: |
6 | (1) Satisfies the requirements specified under section 1209. |
7 | (2) Meets one of the following: |
8 | (i) Holds a doctoral degree from an accredited college or |
9 | university in the subject area of shortage. |
10 | (ii) Holds a master's degree from an accredited college or |
11 | university in the subject area of shortage and has at least one |
12 | year of work experience in the subject area or related field. |
13 | (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree from an accredited college |
14 | or university in the subject area of shortage and has at least |
15 | three years of work experience in the subject area or related |
16 | field. |
17 | (3) Is continuously enrolled in an approved residency |
18 | program. |
19 | (4) Presents evidence of satisfactory achievement on the |
20 | appropriate subject area content test. |
21 | (b) A residency certificate shall be valid for three years |
22 | of teaching in the public schools of this Commonwealth in the |
23 | area for which it applies. |
24 | (c) The secretary shall have all of the following powers and |
25 | duties related to the issuance of residency certificates: |
26 | (1) Identify areas of certification in which there is a |
27 | Statewide or regional shortage of qualified teachers. |
28 | (2) Develop guidelines for the residency program which shall |
29 | include: |
30 | (i) Preplacement instruction and training. |
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1 | (ii) Instruction and training in the following: |
2 | (A) Educational strategies for the designated subject area |
3 | for which the residency certificate is issued. |
4 | (B) Child development specifically related to the level of |
5 | the certificate sought. |
6 | (C) Emotional support. |
7 | (D) Pennsylvania academic standards. |
8 | (E) Assessment knowledge and skills. |
9 | (F) Pennsylvania standards and aligned system knowledge. |
10 | (iii) Requirements for oversight and mentoring that include |
11 | induction, classroom observations and professional development |
12 | for the certificate holder during the three years of service in |
13 | the public schools of this Commonwealth. Induction shall begin |
14 | in the first semester of teaching for a three-month period to |
15 | provide teachers with at least five hours per week mentoring. |
16 | Supervision of the mentoring program shall be provided by a |
17 | department head or senior faculty member and professor of the |
18 | college the applicant is attending. Mentoring shall be |
19 | continually available throughout the three years of teaching on |
20 | a residency certificate by the college in conjunction with the |
21 | school entity. |
22 | (3) Approve all residency programs. |
23 | (4) Issue residency certificates to qualified applicants. |
24 | (5) Report annually to the State Board of Education on the |
25 | number of residency certificates issued under this section. |
26 | (d) A residency certificate may be converted to an |
27 | Instructional I Certificate upon the completion of all residency |
28 | program requirements under Department of Education guidelines |
29 | and the completion of three years of satisfactory teaching in |
30 | the public schools of this Commonwealth. |
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1 | Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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