Alabama Administrative Code › Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 290-3-3 - TEACHER EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES › Section 290-3-3-.01 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
Other terms related to the preparation and certification of
				educators are provided in the current Educator Certification Chapter of the
Alabama Administrative Code.
(1)
30/18
and 4 x
			 12
.
Class B programs require a teaching field, including at
			 least 30 semester hours of credit with at least 18 semester hours of
			 upper-division credit. Additional information is provided in Rule
			 290-3-3-.01(54). Some Class B programs also require 12 semester hours of
			 general studies credit in each of four disciplines: English language arts,
			 mathematics, science and social studies.
(2)
Academic Major.
The
			 specialized area of study in a discipline. For the purpose of program approval,
			 the major must require a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit with at least
			 18 semester hours of upper-division credit. A college or university may choose
			 to require the courses in the comparable Arts and Science type major or may
			 require any combination of courses in the teaching field. This requirement
			 applies to all certification age or grade spans: Pre-kindergarten (birth to age
			 4), early childhood (P-3), elementary (K-6), middle level (4-8) secondary
			 (6-12), and all grades (P-12).
(3)
Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP).
The
			 statewide testing program required by the Alabama State Board of Education.
			 Electronic score reports must be submitted directly from the testing service to
			 the Alabama State Department of Education. Applicants must meet the
			 requirements in effect at the time an application is received in the Alabama
			 State Department of Education. Specific information regarding current test and
			 score requirements for all areas of certification may be found in the Educator
			 Assessment Policies Manual A and the Educator Assessment Policies Manual B.
			 These manuals are located on the Alabama State Department of Education web
			 page. Additional information is provided in the current Educator Certification
			 Chapter of the
Alabama Administrative Code
.
(a) Three
Basic Skills
			 Assessments
in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. ACT WorkKeys was
			 the testing vendor for the Basic Skills Assessment from 2003 until 2017. The
			 ACT WorkKeys Basic Skills Assessment underwent one major change during this
			 timeframe in 2012; however, due to the test being offered by the same vendor,
			 the ALSDE allowed a combination of the test issued under the Alabama
			 Perspective Teacher Testing Program (2003-2012) and the test issued under the
			 Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program (2012-2017). Beginning September
			 1, 2013, successful passage of the three basic skills assessments became a
			 precondition for unconditional admission to a Class B program or an Alternative
			 Class A program. On September 1, 2017, the Educational Testing Services (ETS)
			 Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests replaced the ACT WorkKeys as
			 the Basic Skills Assessment recognized in Alabama. Like the ACT WorkKeys, the
			 Praxis Core also consists of three areas: Reading, Writing and Mathematics. All
			 three areas must be passed to fulfill Basic Skills requirements. Effective
			 April 17, 2019, Praxis Core was rescinded as a requirement for unconditional
			 admission to an Alternative Class A program. Effective August 15, 2020, Praxis
			 Core is no longer required for unconditional admission to a Class B program.
(b)
Praxis Subject
			 Assessments
from ETS became effective April 14, 2005, as a
			 precondition for initial certification in any teaching field or area of
			 instructional support.
(c)
Pedagogical Assessment
: Praxis Principles of Learning
			 and Teaching (PLT) assessments from ETS became effective September 1, 2013, as
			 a precondition for initial certification in any teaching field. Effective
			 September 1, 2018, for initial certification in a teaching field for which a
			 handbook has been developed, the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment
			 (edTPA) administered by Pearson will be the required pedagogical assessment.
			 For areas where no edTPA handbook exists, PLT will still be the required
			 Pedagogical Assessment.