Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.097 — MO Code / Chapter 161 / Section 161.097
161.097 Evaluation of teacher education programs — advisory board established — ...
Status: in_force

161.097. Evaluation of teacher education programs — advisory board established — literacy and reading instruction — rulemaking authority. — 1. The state board of education shall establish standards and procedures by which it will evaluate all teacher training institutions in this state for the approval of teacher education programs. The state board of education shall not require teacher training institutions to meet national or regional accreditation as a part of its standards and procedures in making those evaluations, but it may accept such accreditations in lieu of such approval if standards and procedures set thereby are at least as stringent as those set by the board. The state board of education's standards and procedures for evaluating teacher training institutions shall equal or exceed those of national or regional accrediting associations.

2. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education the "Missouri Advisory Board for Educator Preparation", hereinafter referred to as "MABEP". The MABEP shall advise the state board of education and the coordinating board for higher education regarding matters of mutual interest in the area of quality educator preparation programs in Missouri. The advisory board shall include at least three active elementary or secondary classroom teachers and at least three faculty members within approved educator preparation programs. The classroom teacher members shall be selected to represent various regions of the state and districts of different sizes. The faculty representatives shall represent institutions from various regions of the state and sizes of programs. The advisory board shall hold regular meetings that allow members to share needs and concerns and plan strategies to enhance teacher preparation.

3. Upon approval by the state board of education of the teacher education program at a particular teacher training institution, any person who graduates from that program, and who meets other requirements which the state board of education shall prescribe by rule, regulation and statute shall be granted a certificate or license to teach in the public schools of this state. However, no such rule or regulation shall require that the program from which the person graduates be accredited by any national or regional accreditation association.

4. The state board of education shall, in consultation with MABEP, align literacy and reading instruction coursework for teacher education programs in early childhood, kindergarten to fifth grade elementary teacher certification, middle school communication arts, high school communication arts, and all reading and special education certificates to include the following:

(1) Teacher candidates shall receive classroom and clinical training in:

(a) The core components of reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary;

(b) Oral and written language development; and

(c) Identification of reading deficiencies, dyslexia, and other language difficulties;

(2) Teacher candidates shall also have training on:

(a) The selection and use of reading curricula and instructional materials;

(b) The administration and interpretation of assessments;

(c) How to translate assessment results into effective practice in the classroom specific to the needs of students; and

(d) Additional best practices in the field of literacy instruction as recommended by the literacy advisory council pursuant to section 186.080 .

5. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void.

(L. 1985 S.B. 154 § 1, A.L. 2014 S.B. 492, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)