Connecticut § 10-145w - Alternate route to certification programs for persons from an alternate profession. Requirements. Issuance of initial educator certificate upon completion.

§ 10-145w. Alternate route to certification programs for persons from an alternate profession. Requirements. Issuance of initial educator certificate upon completion.

Sec. 10-145w. Alternate route to certification programs for persons from an alternate profession. Requirements. Issuance of initial educator certificate upon completion. (a) As used in this section, “person from an alternate profession” means a person who (1) holds at least a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education or that is regionally accredited, and (A) is a paraeducator, (B) is a veteran, as defined in section 27-103, (C) holds a charter school educator permit, issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 10-145q, (D) is employed or was previously employed as a professor at an accredited institution of higher education, as defined in section 10a-34, or (E) has completed at least five years of work experience requiring consistent exercise of discretion and independent judgment in the field related to the relevant endorsement area, or (2) holds a master's degree from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or, for any person educated outside the United States or its territories, an educational program deemed equivalent by the council.

(b) (1) The Department of Education, in consultation with the Office of Higher Education, shall develop or review and approve proposals for alternate route to certification programs for persons from an alternate profession. Any alternate route to certification program developed or approved under this section shall (A) include instruction in classroom management and culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, (B) align with the standards of teaching competencies adopted by the State Board of Education, and (C) meet such other criteria as the department requires.

(2) Any alternate route to certification program developed or approved under this section shall reserve ten per cent of available seats for persons from an alternate profession described in subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section. If such seats are not filled by such persons from an alternate profession, such seats shall be made available for all persons from an alternate profession described in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of section 10-145b, on and after July 1, 2019, the State Board of Education, upon receipt of a proper application, shall issue an initial educator certificate, which shall be valid for three years, to any person who (1) successfully completed an alternate route to certification program developed or approved under this section, and (2) meets the requirements established in subsection (b) of section 10-145f.

(d) The department shall include on its Internet web site a description of, and the requirements for, each alternate route to certification program for persons from an alternate profession developed or approved by the department.

(P.A. 18-34, S. 2; P.A. 19-62, S. 1; 19-100, S. 5; P.A. 24-41, S. 8.)

History: P.A. 18-34 effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 19-62 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provisions re proposals for alternate route to certification programs for persons from an alternate profession as new Subdiv. (1) and amended same by redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) to (3) as Subparas. (A) to (C), and adding new Subdiv. (2) re seats in alternative route to certification program for certain persons from an alternate profession, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 19-100 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by replacing “cultural competency” with “culturally responsive pedagogy and practice”, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 24-41 added Subsec. (a)(1)(E) re completion of at least 5 years of work experience requiring consistent exercise of discretion and independent judgment in field related to relevant endorsement area, effective July 1, 2024.