Connecticut General Statutes/Title 10/Chapter 166/Section 10-145d

CGS § 10-145d. State board regulations for teacher certificates. Certification of school business administrators; membership in teachers' retirement system; applicability of teacher tenure law. Certification of computer science teachers. Applicability of elementary education and comprehensive special education endorsements to certain grade levels. Teaching experience in birth-to-three programs. Certification of marital and family therapists. Requirement re reading instruction examination and program of study in dyslexia for certain endorsements.

(a) The State Board of Education shall, pursuant to chapter 54, adopt such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 10-144o, 10-145a to 10-145d, inclusive, 10-145f and 10-146b. Such regulations shall provide for (1) the establishment of an appeal panel to review any decision to deny the issuance of a certificate authorized under section 10-145b; (2) the establishment of requirements for subject area endorsements; (3) the extension of the time to complete requirements for certificates under section 10-145b; (4) the establishment of requirements for administrator and supervisor certificates; (5) the composition of, and the procedures to be utilized by, the assessment teams in implementing the beginning educator program; (6) procedures and criteria for issuing certificates to persons whose certificates have lapsed or persons with non-public-school or out-of-state teaching experience; (7) the criteria for defining a major course of study; (8) a requirement that on and after July 1, 1993, in order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an elementary endorsement, each person be required to (A) complete a survey course in United States history comprised of not fewer than three semester hours, or its equivalent, or (B) achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment; and (9) a requirement that on and after July 1, 2004, in order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an early childhood nursery through grade three or an elementary endorsement, each person be required to complete a comprehensive reading instruction course comprised of not less than six semester hours, or its equivalent. Such regulations may provide for exceptions to accommodate specific certification endorsement areas.

(b) The State Board of Education shall, pursuant to chapter 54, adopt regulations to provide standards for the certification of school business administrators. Such regulations shall make provision for certification requirements to be met by either (1) completion of prescribed courses of study or (2) such other experience as the state board shall deem appropriate for the position of school business administrator. Any person serving in the position of school business administrator on July 1, 1983, shall be considered as having met all requirements for certification. The regulations shall also contain standards to certify individuals who hold certification from a state other than Connecticut.

(c) Any individual certified as a school business administrator after July 1, 1983, pursuant to regulations adopted by the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall not be deemed to be eligible for membership in the teachers' retirement system solely by reason of such certification, provided any such individual who holds a regular teacher's certificate issued by the State Board of Education shall not be excluded from membership in said system.

(d) Any individual certified as a school business administrator pursuant to regulations adopted by the state board in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, shall not be deemed to be included in the definition of “teacher” in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 10-151 solely by reason of such certification, provided any such individual who holds a regular teacher's certificate issued by the State Board of Education and is employed as a teacher, principal, supervisor or school superintendent shall not be excluded from such definition.

(e) Not later than July 1, 2020, the State Board of Education shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to provide standards for the certification of computer science teachers. Such regulations shall create a computer science endorsement and make provision for certification requirements to be met by either (1) completion of prescribed courses of study, or (2) such other experience as the state board shall deem appropriate.

(f) (1) (A) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, (i) an endorsement issued prior to July 1, 2013, to teach elementary education grades one to six, inclusive, shall be valid for grades kindergarten to six, inclusive, and (ii) for the period commencing July 1, 2013, until June 30, 2025, for such an endorsement issued between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2025, the endorsement shall be valid for grades one to six, inclusive, except such an endorsement issued between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2017, to any student who was admitted to and successfully completes a teacher preparation program, as defined in section 10-10a, in the certification endorsement area of elementary education on or before June 30, 2017, shall be valid for grades kindergarten to six, inclusive.

(B) The Commissioner of Education may permit, upon the request of a superintendent, any person who holds such endorsement issued between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2025, to teach kindergarten for one school year. The commissioner may, upon the request of such superintendent, permit such person who so taught kindergarten under such endorsement for one school year to teach kindergarten an additional school year.

(C) An endorsement to teach elementary education grades one to six, inclusive, or an endorsement to teach elementary education grades kindergarten to six, inclusive, issued prior to July 1, 2025, shall be valid for grades prekindergarten to six, inclusive.

(D) An endorsement to teach elementary education issued on and after July 1, 2025, shall be valid for grades prekindergarten to six, inclusive.

(2) An endorsement to teach comprehensive special education grades one to twelve, inclusive, shall be valid for grades prekindergarten to twelve, inclusive. On and after September 1, 2013, any (A) certified employee applying for a comprehensive special education endorsement, or (B) applicant for an initial, provisional or professional educator certificate and a comprehensive special education endorsement shall achieve a satisfactory score on the reading instruction examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, or a comparable reading instruction examination with minimum standards that are equivalent to the examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009.

(3) On and after July 1, 2024, the following endorsements issued prior to or on or after July 1, 2024, and for grades seven to twelve, inclusive, shall be valid for grades four to twelve, inclusive: Biology, business, chemistry, earth science, English, French, German, general science, history and social studies, Italian, Latin and classical humanities, Mandarin Chinese, mathematics, Portuguese, physics, Russian, Spanish and any other world language.

(g) For the purposes of issuance of certificates, permits and authorizations by the State Board of Education under the provisions of sections 10-144o to 10-149, inclusive, teaching experience in approved nonpublic schools shall include teaching experience in birth-to-three programs approved by the Department of Developmental Services.

(h) Any person who is a licensed marital and family therapist, pursuant to section 20-195c, or a candidate for licensure as a marital and family therapist, and employed by a local or regional board of education as a marital and family therapist shall provide services to students, families and parents or guardians of students. Not later than July 1, 2014, the State Board of Education shall, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection and provide standards for the certification of marital and family therapists employed by local or regional boards of education. Such regulations shall authorize marital and family therapists employed by a local or regional board of education to provide services to students, families and parents or guardians of students and include certification requirements to be met by (1) licensure as a marital and family therapist under section 20-195c, and (2) such other experience as the State Board of Education deems appropriate for the position of marital and family therapist in a school system.

(i) (1) On and after July 1, 2017, any (A) certified employee applying for a remedial reading, remedial language arts or reading consultant endorsement, or (B) applicant for an initial, provisional or professional educator certificate and a remedial reading, remedial language arts or reading consultant endorsement shall (i) achieve a satisfactory score on the reading instruction examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, or a comparable reading instruction examination with minimum standards that are equivalent to the examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, and (ii) have completed a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts that includes supervised practicum hours and instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d.

(2) On and after July 1, 2021, any (A) certified employee applying for a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement, or (B) applicant for an initial, provisional or professional educator certificate and a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement shall have completed a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts that includes supervised practicum hours or student teaching experience and instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d.

Short History

(P.A. 74-331, S. 6, 7; P.A. 83-423, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-255, S. 8, 21; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 24, 58; P.A. 87-499, S. 8, 34; P.A. 89-237, S. 10, 11; P.A. 98-243, S. 14, 25; P.A. 00-187, S. 39, 75; P.A. 03-168, S. 3, 4; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 33; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(a); 07-241, S. 7; P.A. 12-63, S. 1; 12-116, S. 50, 92, 93; P.A. 13-122, S. 8, 11; 13-245, S. 15, 16; P.A. 15-108, S. 4; P.A. 16-92, S. 1; P.A. 17-3, S. 1; 17-173, S. 10; P.A. 18-51, S. 6, 8; P.A. 19-128, S. 4; P.A. 21-168, S. 5; P.A. 23-159, S. 13; P.A. 24-41, S. 2.)

Long History

History: P.A. 83-423 added Subsecs. (b) and (c) requiring state board to adopt regulations for the certification of school business administrators specifying that eligibility for membership in the teachers' retirement system shall not be based solely on such certification as a school business administrator; P.A. 84-255 added Subsec. (d) concerning applicability of teacher tenure law to individuals certified as school business administrators; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1 in Subsec. (a) added Subdivs. (1) to (7), inclusive, re content of regulations; P.A. 87-499 in Subsec. (a) provided that the state board of education adopt regulations re certificate definitions and testing for prospective teachers and that it may, by regulation, provide for exceptions for specific certification endorsement areas; P.A. 89-237 added new Subsec. (a)(8) requiring the completion of a survey course in United States history in order to be eligible to obtain certain initial educator certificates; (Revisor's note: In 1993 an obsolete reference in Subsec. (a) to “subsection (a) of section 10-146f” was deleted since Sec. 10-146f is repealed); P.A. 98-243 amended Subsec. (a)(8) to make a technical change and added Subsec. (a)(9) re requirement for comprehensive reading instruction course in order to be eligible to obtain certain initial educator certificates, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 00-187 added Subsec. (e) re certification of computer science teachers, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 03-168 amended Subsec. (a)(9) by substituting “July 1, 2004” for “July 1, 2003”, effective July 1, 2003, and added new Subsecs. (f) and (g) re endorsements to teach elementary education and comprehensive special education and re experience in birth-to-three programs, effective June 26, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (f) by adding references to grades one to six and one to twelve, effective August 20, 2003; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 “Department of Mental Retardation” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Developmental Services”, effective October 1, 2007; P.A. 07-241, added editorially by the Revisors as Subsec. (h), required adoption of regulations re certification standards for marital and family therapists employed by boards of education, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 12-63 amended Subsec. (f) by adding provisions making endorsements to teach elementary education issued on or after July 1, 2013, valid for grades 1 to 6 and making endorsements issued between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2017, to students admitted to a teacher preparation program for elementary education on or before the start of fall semester of 2012 valid for grades kindergarten to 6, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 12-116 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (f) by adding provision requiring, on and after July 1, 2013, that certified employees with comprehensive special education endorsement achieve a satisfactory score on the reading instruction examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, and added Subsec. (i) requiring, on and after July 1, 2013, that certified employees with a remedial reading and remedial language arts endorsement achieve a satisfactory score on the reading instruction examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-122 amended Subsec. (f) by replacing requirement that student be admitted to teacher preparation program on or before start of fall semester of 2012 with requirement that student successfully complete teacher preparation program on or before June 30, 2017, effective June 18, 2013, and amended Subsec. (h) by adding provision requiring marital and family therapists to provide services to students, families and parents or guardians of students, adding provision requiring regulations to authorize such therapists to provide such services, replacing “June 1, 2008” with “July 1, 2014” and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 13-245 amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “July 1, 2013” with “September 1, 2013”, applying provisions to applicants for a comprehensive special education endorsement, adding Subdiv. (1) and (2) designators and adding provision re comparable reading instruction examination, and amended Subsec. (i) by replacing “July 1, 2013” with “September 1, 2013”, applying provisions to applicants for a remedial reading, remedial language arts or reading consultant endorsement, adding Subdiv. (1) and (2) designators and adding provision re comparable reading instruction examination, effective July 2, 2013; P.A. 15-108 amended Subsec. (a)(8) by designating existing language re completion of survey course in United States history as Subpara. (A) and adding Subpara. (B) re achieve a satisfactory evaluation on appropriate state board approved subject area assessment, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 16-92 amended Subsec. (i) by replacing “September 1, 2013” with “July 1, 2017” and, in Subdiv. (2), by designating existing provisions re satisfactory score on reading instruction examination as Subpara. (A) and adding Subpara. (B) re program of study that includes practicum hours, instruction and interventions re students with dyslexia, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-3 amended Subsec. (i) by designating existing provisions re requirements for applicants on and after July 1, 2017, as Subdiv. (1) and amending same by redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subparas. (A) and (B) and redesignating existing Subparas. (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii) and adding Subdiv. (2) requiring, on and after July 1, 2018, that certified employees with comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement complete program of study that includes practicum hours, instruction and interventions re students with dyslexia, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 17-173 amended Subsec. (h) by adding “or a candidate for licensure as a marital and family therapist”, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 18-51 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “or its equivalent” in Subdivs. (8)(A) and (9) and amended Subsec. (f) by adding provision re commissioner may permit elementary education endorsement holder to teach kindergarten, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 19-128 amended Subsec. (e) by making provisions applicable to not later than July 1, 2020, and adding “create a computer science endorsement and”, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 21-168 amended Subsec. (i)(2) by changing “July 1,2018” to “July 1, 2021” and adding “or student teaching experience”, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 23-159 amended Subsec. (f) by designating existing provision re endorsement to teach elementary education grades 1 to 6 as Subdiv. (1)(A) and amending same to add “Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision”, designating existing provision re commissioner may permit person who holds such endorsement to teach kindergarten for 1 school year as Subdiv. (1)(B) and amending same to revise provision re commissioner permitting person to teach under such endorsement for an additional school year, and designating existing provisions re endorsement to teach comprehensive special education grades 1 to 12 as Subdiv. (2) and amending same to make endorsement valid for grades prekindergarten to 12, redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subparas. (A) and (B) and making conforming changes, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 24-41 amended Subsec. (f) by designating existing provision re endorsement issued prior to July 1, 2013, as clause (i) and designating remaining provisions as clause (ii) and amending same to make provisions applicable to period commencing July 1, 2013, until June 30, 2025, in Subdiv. (1)(A), replacing “on or after July 1, 2017” with “between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2025” in Subdiv. (1)(B), adding Subdiv. (1)(C) re validity of endorsement issued prior to July 1, 2025, adding Subdiv. (1)(D) re validity of endorsement issued on and after July 1, 2025, and adding Subdiv. (3) re certain endorsements valid for grades 4 to 12, effective July 1, 2024.

Citations

Cited. 210 C. 286; 240 C. 119.

Cited. 5 CA 253.