Iowa § 256.166 - 256.166 Temporary initial license for applicants who complete an alternative teacher

§ 256.166. 256.166 Temporary initial license for applicants who complete an alternative teacher

certification program. 1. The board shall grant a temporary initial teaching license to an applicant who meets all of the following requirements: a. The applicant shall hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. b. The applicant shall have at least sixty contact hours in the classroom, of which at least thirty hours shall be teaching in a classroom under a licensed teacher. The applicant may complete any remaining contact hours by working as a para-educator or in another relevant role. The principal of the school where the applicant completed the contact hours shall certify to the board the applicant’s completion of the requirements in this paragraph. c. The applicant shall successfully complete an alternative teacher certification program that has been approved by the state board of education pursuant to subsection 2 and that includes the required content training in the area in which the applicant seeks to be licensed. 2. a. The department shall recommend to the state board of education that an alternative teacher certification program be approved or denied within sixty days after the alternative teacher certification program applies to the department for approval and provides to the department sufficient evidence that the alternative teacher certification program meets all of the following requirements: (1) The alternative teacher certification program must operate in at least five states. (2) The alternative teacher certification program must have been in operation for at least ten years. (3) The alternative teacher certification program must incorporate pedagogy training, including an examination, that teaches effective instructional delivery, classroom management and organization, assessment, instructional design, and professional learning and leadership. (4) The alternative teacher certification program must include the administration of an assessment that is identical to the foundations of reading assessment administered in 2012 as part of the Massachusetts tests, or the most current version of such assessment, and must adhere to the same reporting requirements related to the assessment that this chapter imposes upon higher education institutions, if any. b. (1) If the state board of education approves an alternative teacher certification program, the approval shall be for seven years, or less if the state board of education determines that a shorter term is warranted. (2) If the state board of education approves an alternative teacher certification program, the approved alternative teacher certification program shall submit an annual report to the department, on or before March 15 each year, that contains all of the following: (a) The number of students participating in the approved alternative teacher certification program. (b) The number of students who completed the approved alternative teacher certification program. (c) Information related to student retention. (d) Data that allows the department to match records associated with licensing and employment within this state. (e) Any other information requested by the department that will allow the department to monitor and assess the quality of the approved alternative teacher certification program. c. (1) If the state board of education denies an alternative teacher certification program, the state board of education shall provide the alternative teacher certification program with advice concerning the areas in which the alternative teacher certification program needs to improve, or changes the alternative teacher certification program otherwise needs to make, in order for the state board of education to approve the alternative teacher certification program. (2) The state board of education shall allow an alternative teacher certification program that has been denied approval to present factual information concerning the alternative teacher certification program at a regularly scheduled meeting of the state board of education within three months after such denial. (3) (a) An alternative teacher certification program that has been denied approval shall Thu Dec 11 19:19:35 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 256.166 (5, 0) §256.166, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2 not apply to the department for approval pursuant to paragraph “a” within six months after such denial. (b) If an alternative teacher certification program does apply to the department for approval after a denial, the alternative teacher certification program shall provide to the department, in addition to the information described in paragraph “a”, subparagraphs (1) through (4), sufficient evidence that the alternative teacher certification program has taken actions to address any areas that needed to be improved or changes the alternative teacher certification program otherwise needed to make. 3. An individual who successfully completes an approved alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the board under this section is authorized to teach the subjects and grade levels that the individual successfully completed during the alternative teacher certification program. 4. An individual who successfully completes an approved alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the board under this section shall not provide instruction to students who are eligible for services under chapter 256B until the individual successfully completes a practicum relating to providing instruction to such students that includes short-term field experiences in educational settings that are connected to specific coursework. 5. The board shall treat an individual who successfully completes an approved alternative teacher certification program and who is granted a temporary initial teaching license by the board under this section in the same manner as an individual who completes a traditional teacher preparation program and who receives an initial teaching license, including during the process of converting the temporary initial teaching license to a standard teaching license. 2024 Acts, ch 1171, §4 Thu Dec 11 19:19:35 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 256.166 (5, 0)