Alabama Administrative Code › Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 290-3-3 - TEACHER EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES › Section 290-3-3-.42 - Alternative Class A Programs For Teaching Fields

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
Purposes of Alternative Class A
			 Programs.
The purposes of an Alternative Class A program shall be
			 identical to the purposes for preparing teachers at the Class B level in the
			 same teaching field, except that person who complete the Alternative Class A
			 program shall have acquired knowledge and skill above the level required for
			 completion of a Class B program. Additional information is provided in Rule
			 290-3-3-.04.
(2)
Unconditional Admission to
			 Alternative Class A Programs.
Each institution shall establish and
			 enforce a policy that specifies when the candidate must meet criteria for
			 unconditional admission to the program.
Admission to the graduate school
			 is not equivalent to unconditional admission to an approved program
.
			 Requirements for unconditional admission shall include:
(a)
A criminal history background
			 check.
Additional information is provided in Rule
			 290-3-3-.03(6)(d).
(b)
Testing requirement.
Effective 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. Effective for basic skills tests
			 taken September 1, 2017, and thereafter the Educational Testing Services (ETS)
			 Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests replaced the ACT WorkKeys.
			 Effective April 17, 2019, Praxis Core was rescinded as a requirement for
			 unconditional admission to an Alternative Class A program.
(c)
Degree requirements.
A
			 person who is eligible for admission to an Alternative Class A program shall
			 have earned a bachelor's or higher degree with a minimum grade point average
			 (GPA) overall of 2.50. This GPA must be documented on the official transcript
			 of the degree granting institution and must be the GPA that was used as the
			 basis for granting the degree. Effective July 1, 2017, and thereafter, a person
			 who is eligible for unconditional admission to an Alternative Class A program
			 shall have earned a bachelor's degree with a minimum grade point average (GPA)
			 overall of 2.75 or a master's or higher degree with a GPA of at least 3.0. This
			 GPA must be documented on the official transcript of the degree granting
			 institution and must be the GPA that was used as the basis for granting the
			 degree, not a GPA that includes post-degree courses. An applicant with an
			 undergraduate GPA of at least 2.0 may seek unconditional admission if the
			 alternative score on the Alabama-prescribed Praxis subject-area test is
			 obtained.
1. Courses that were taken as part
			 of the degree used to meet the admission requirement in Rule
			 290-3-3-.44(2)(c) for a bachelor's or higher degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5
			 (2.75 if admitted based on a bachelor's degree or 3.0 if admitted based on a
			 master's degree July 1, 2017, and thereafter) cannot be used again to meet
			 Alternative Class A program requirements.
2. The person must meet one of the following
			 options:
(i) Earned a bachelor's degree from a
			 regionally accredited college or university.
(ii) Earned a bachelor's degree from a
			 non-regionally accredited institution
and
an earned
			 master's or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution, and has
			 attained a passing score on the prescribed Praxis subject assessment of the
			 Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). [See Rule
			 290-3-3-.04.]
			 This option is permitted only when
both
of the
			 following conditions are met:
(I) At the
			 discretion of the administrative head of the EPP and in accordance with
			 institutional policy.
(II) If there
			 is a prescribed Praxis subject assessment of the AECAP.
3. Earned a bachelor's degree from
			 a non-regionally accredited institution, holds a valid professional educator
			 certificate from the state where the institution is geographically located, and
			 has attained a passing score on the prescribed Praxis subject assessment of the
			 AECAP. This option is permitted only when
both
of the
			 following conditions are met:
(i) At the
			 discretion of the administrative head of the EPP and in accordance with
			 institutional policy.
(ii) If there
			 is a prescribed Praxis subject assessment of the AECAP.
(d)
General studies.
Individuals applying for admission to an Alternative Class A programs in early
			 childhood education, elementary education, early childhood special education,
			 or collaborative special education teacher (K-6 or 6-12) shall have earned at
			 least 12 semester hours of acceptable credit, as verified on official
			 transcripts, in each of the following areas: English language arts,
			 mathematics, science, and social studies. Alternatively, the current passing
			 score on the prescribed Praxis subject assessment of the AECAP may be accepted
			 to meet this requirement for the following areas:
(i) In lieu of 12 semester hours in
			 mathematics, Praxis 5003 or 5903.
(ii) In lieu of 12 semester hours in science,
			 Praxis 5005 or 5905.
(iii) In lieu
			 of 12 semester hours in social studies, Praxis 5004 or 5904.
(e)
Teaching field.
Prior to unconditional admission, a person who wishes to earn certification in
			 a teaching field listed below shall have completed one of the options in Rule
			 290-3-3-.42(2)(e)1. through 5.
1.
For teaching fields other than Early Childhood Education,
			 Elementary Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Collaborative Special
			 Education (K-6 or 6-12)
, in lieu of Rule 290-2-3-3-.42(2)(e)2.
			 through 5., verification of a current passing score on the prescribed Praxis
			 subject assessment of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program.
2.
Early Childhood
			 Education, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Special Education,
			 Collaborative Special Education Teacher K-6 or 6-12
. Additional
			 information is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.42(2)(d).
3.
Single Teaching Field for
			 Middle Level or Secondary
: An academic major in the teaching
			 field, or if an academic major is not on the official transcript, 30 semester
			 hours appropriate to the teaching field including at least 18 semester hours of
			 upper-division credit.
4.
Comprehensive Middle Level or Secondary Teaching
			 Fields
:
(i) English Language
			 Arts: An academic major in an area included in English language arts-e.g.,
			 English, speech, drama/theatre, and print or broadcast journalism-and at least
			 one course in each of the other listed areas of English language arts. If an
			 academic major is not on the official transcript, then the admission
			 requirement shall be 30 semester hours of credit appropriate to English
			 language arts, including at least 18 semester hours of upper-division credit.
			 At a minimum, coursework must include courses in literature, grammar, reading
			 skills, writing, speech, theatre, and print or broadcast journalism.
(ii) General Science: An academic major in an
			 area included in the sciences-e.g., biology, chemistry, Earth or space science,
			 and physics-and at least one course in each of the other listed areas of
			 general science. If an academic major is not on the official transcript, then
			 the admission requirement shall be 30 semester hours of credit appropriate to
			 general science including at least 18 semester hours of upper-division credit
			 and at least one course in each of following areas: biology, chemistry, Earth
			 or space science, and physics.
(iii) General Social Studies: An academic
			 major in an area included in the social studies-e.g., economics, geography,
			 history, and political science-and at least one course in each of the other
			 areas listed in the social studies. If an academic major is not on the official
			 transcript, then the admission requirement shall be 30 semester hours of credit
			 appropriate to the social studies with at least 18 semester hours of
			 upper-division credit and at least one course in each of the following areas:
			 economics, geography, history, and political science.
(iv)
Career and Technical
			 Education
: At least 30 semester hours appropriate to the teaching
			 field including at least 18 semester hours of upper-division credit.
5.
P-12
			 Programs
: An academic major in the teaching field or, if an
			 academic major is not on the official transcript, 30 semester hours of credit
			 appropriate to the teaching field including at least 18 semester hours of
			 upper-division credit.