An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Teacher Certification
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0050
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: PICCHIOTTI, DOW, GERRISH, HERRICK, LOCKMAN, STEARNS, STROM, VACHON, WARD, WHITTEMORE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §13011, 20-A MRSA §13012

Legislative Document
No. 50
H.P. 36
House of Representatives, January 10, 2017
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Teacher Certification
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PICCHIOTTI of Fairfield.
Cosponsored by Senator DOW of Lincoln and
Representatives: GERRISH of Lebanon, HERRICK of Paris, LOCKMAN of Amherst, 
STEARNS of Guilford, STROM of Pittsfield, VACHON of Scarborough, WARD of Dedham, 
Senator: WHITTEMORE of Somerset.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §13011, sub-§6, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 
635, Pt. B, §2, is amended to read: 
6.  Alternative pathways to certification.  The state board shall develop and adopt 
rules providing a method for a person who has not completed an approved educator 
preparation program as defined under section 13008 to obtain provisional educator 
teacher certification through an alternative pathway that meets the requirements in section 
13012, subsection 7 or that: 
A.  Is designed for candidates who can demonstrate subject matter competency that is 
directly related to the certificate endorsement being sought and obtained through 
prior academic achievement or work experience; 
B.  May feature an accelerated program of preparation; 
C.  Uses mentorship programs that partner teacher candidates with mentor teachers; 
and 
D.  Includes accountability provisions to ensure that teacher candidates demonstrate 
the knowledge and skills established pursuant to section 13012, subsection 2-B prior 
to issuance of a provisional teacher certificate. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §13012, sub-§7 is enacted to read: 
7.  Alternate pathway to provisional teacher certificate.  Notwithstanding 
subsections 2-A, 2-B and 5 and sections 13032 and 13035-A, a person who has not 
completed an approved educator preparation program as defined under section 13008 is 
eligible for a provisional teacher certificate if that person: 
A.  Has attained certification from a nonprofit organization described in 26 United 
States Code, Section 501(c)(3) that: 
(1)  Was founded with grant funding from the United States Department of 
Education; 
(2)  Developed a certification program designed for professionals who want to 
change careers and become teachers; and 
(3)  Requires an applicant to possess a bachelor's degree; and  
B.  Has satisfactorily completed a criminal history record check in accordance with 
section 13011, subsection 8. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides that a person who has not completed an approved educator 
preparation program is eligible for a provisional teacher certificate if that person has 
satisfactorily completed a criminal history record check and attained certification from a 
nonprofit organization that was founded with United States Department of Education 
funding and that developed a certification program designed for professionals who want 
to change careers.