Indiana § 20-28-5-16.5 - Initial practitioner license; academic credit; requirements

§ 20-28-5-16.5. Initial practitioner license; academic credit; requirements

Sec. 16.5. (a) Except as provided in subsection (c), the department shall grant an initial practitioner license to an individual who meets the following requirements:

(1) The individual holds a bachelor's degree with a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited postsecondary educational institution.

(2) The individual successfully completes a total of at least nine (9) academic credits in courses that include instruction on the following:

(A) High impact practices in:

(i) lesson planning;

(ii) instructional design;

(iii) instructional activities;

(iv) integrating learning modalities; and

(v) if applicable, developing laboratory experiments.

(B) The use of:

(i) digital media;

(ii) learning management software; and

(iii) technology to maximize learning.

(C) Teaching:

(i) inductive and deductive reasoning;

(ii) metacognition;

(iii) problem framing;

(iv) interpreting results; and

(v) data based decision making.

(D) Best practices to evaluate student learning through:

(i) diagnostic assessment;

(ii) direct and indirect assessment; and

(iii) formative and summative assessment.

(E) Creating feedback loops.

(F) Fostering engagement and using peer to peer learning and other small group strategies.

(G) Providing constructive feedback and preventing disruptive behavior.

(H) Early intervention strategies and professional standards.

(I) Teaching students with disabilities.

(3) The individual demonstrates proficiency through a written examination in the knowledge of the areas in which the individual is required to have a license to teach, as described in section 12(b)(2) of this chapter.

(4) The individual has completed the training described in section 12.3 of this chapter.

(5) The individual participates in one (1) or more of the following, as determined by the department:

(A) Job shadowing.

(B) Field experiences.

(C) Teaching cooperatives.

(D) Full-term student teaching.

(b) An individual who receives an initial practitioner license under this section:

(1) may only teach in any combination of grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, as determined by the department;

(2) shall be treated in the same manner as an individual who receives an initial practitioner license after completing a traditional teacher preparation program; and

(3) must be treated in the same manner as a traditional teacher preparation program graduate during the transition from an initial practitioner license to a practitioner license.

(c) The department may not grant an initial practitioner license under this section to teach special education.

(d) The state board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to administer this section.

As added by P.L.194-2025, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.150-2026, SEC.2.