Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 28 - EDUCATION › Part CXXXI - Bulletin 74-Louisiana Standards for State Certification of School Personnel › Chapter 5 - Teaching Credentials, Licenses and Certifications › Subchapter A - Standard Teaching Certificates › Section CXXXI-507 - Professional Level Certificates

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				  Level 1 is the entry-level professional certificate, valid for three years. The
				  level 2 and level 3 certificates are valid for five years.
B. Louisiana Graduate Eligibility. Level 1
				  professional certificate requires successful completion of a state-approved
				  traditional or alternate teacher preparation program, in accordance with LAC
				  28:XLV.Chapter 7.
1. Alternate preparation
				  completers completing a one-year in-state residency as teacher of record must
				  hold a practitioner's license (PL) in the certification area in which the
				  teacher preparation program was completed and receive mentoring, as outlined in
				  LAC 28:XLV.996, during the first year on a PL by a school-based mentor teacher
				  in accordance with
				  §553 of this Chapter.
2. Alternate preparation candidates
				  completing a one-year residency out-of-state must hold a resident teacher
				  certificate in accordance with LAC 28:XLV.996. If the candidate completed the
				  residency as teacher of record, holding a practitioner's license above is not
				  required.
3. Undergraduate program
				  completers and alternate preparation completers completing a one-year in-state
				  residency must hold a resident teacher certificate in accordance with
				  §535 of this chapter and receive
				  mentoring by a classroom-based mentor teacher in accordance with
				  §553 of this Chapter.
4. Undergraduate program completers
				  completing a one-year out-of-state residency must hold a resident teacher
				  certificate in accordance with LAC 28:XLV.996 and
				  §535 of this Chapter.
5. Grade Point Average Requirements:
a. minimum 2.20 undergraduate grade point
				  average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale for entry into a teacher preparation
				  program;
b. if an applicant does
				  not meet the GPA requirement, certification may be issued if the following
				  requirements are met:
i. if the program awards
				  credit hours, the applicant shall achieve a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
				  in the alternate teacher preparation program courses by the end of the first 12
				  credit hours and successfully complete the program.
ii. if the program does not award credit
				  hours, the applicant shall demonstrate mastery of competencies as required by
				  the program administrator and by the school system in which the applicant
				  completes required clinical practice; and
c. minimum 2.50 GPA on a 4.00 scale upon
				  completion of teacher preparation program, or if the program does not award
				  credit hours, the applicant shall demonstrate mastery of competencies as
				  required by the program administrator and by the school system in which the
				  applicant completes required clinical practice;
d. satisfactorily complete all program
				  requirements as set forth by BESE, including any requirements for clinical
				  practice, at graduation or program completion;
e. an applicant who does not have the
				  required program GPA shall demonstrate mastery of competencies as required by
				  the program and by the school system in which the applicant completes required
				  clinical practice and may be issued a TEP.
6. Exam Requirements. Passing scores on
				  appropriate pedagogy, certification area, and specialty area exams in
				  accordance with
				  §303 of this Part, and in alignment
				  with the content area in which the program was completed.
7. Applicants must be recommended by a
				  state-approved university or private program provider for
				  certification.
8. Applicants must
				  have the required number of semester hours in the teaching of reading and
				  literacy:
a. 9 semester hours for
				  certification in Birth-K, PK-3, 1-5, general special education 1-5, and
				  mild/moderate special education 1-5;
b. 6 semester hours for certification in
				  middle grades 4-8, general special education 4-8, and mild/moderate special
				  education 4-8;
c. 3 semester hours
				  for certification in secondary 612 content areas, all-level K-12 areas, general
				  special education 6-12, and mild/moderate special education 6-12;
d. 9 semester hours for certification in
				  special education areas of early interventionist, hearing impaired, significant
				  disabilities, and visually impaired.
e. Alternate preparation completers are
				  required to complete the same number of semester hours or equivalent contact
				  hours, or pass the adopted Teaching of Reading exam.
f. Repealed.
9. Beginning September 1, 2024, completers
				  must earn the required number of semester hours or contact hour equivalent in
				  the teaching of reading and literacy in alignment with the science of reading
				  competencies for certification.
a. Birth-K,
				  PK-3, Grades1-5: 9 semester hours.
b. Middle Grades 4-6: 6 semester
				  hours.
c. Secondary 6-12 content
				  areas, all-level K-12 areas: 3 semester hours.
d. General and Special Education Integrated
				  to Merged (Grades 1-5, 4-8, or 6-12), Early Interventionist, Hearing Impaired,
				  Significant Disabilities, and Visually Impaired: 9 semester
				  hours.
10. Beginning
				  January 1, 2024, an applicant for initial certification in kindergarten through
				  third grade shall pass the BESE-approved Teaching of Reading: Elementary or
				  Teaching of Reading: Elementary Subtest exam in accordance with
				  §303 of this Part. Candidates already
				  enrolled in the year-long residency and holding either the PL or R credential
				  prior to January 1, 2025, are not subject to this provision.
11. Beginning September 1, 2028, literacy
				  requirements include a minimum of three credit hours or contact hour equivalent
				  regarding teaching students with dyslexia.
12. Beginning September 1, 2028, an applicant
				  for initial certification must have earned coursework or equivalent contact
				  hours in alignment with the adopted foundational numeracy
				  competencies.