TITLE

Alternative Educator License

HISTORY

Rule for Alternative Educator, effective January 1, 2000.

GRADE LEVELS AND/OR SUBJECT AREAS COVERED

Secondary school (7-12) subjects. Intervention Specialist areas.

WHO OPERATES

Ohio Department of Education, Office of Certification Licensure.

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER

Prospective employing school district agrees to provide a structured mentoring program.

The candidate:

1. Holds a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution;
2. Has completed a major in a secondary teaching subject, OR evidence of five years of recent, related work experience in the teaching subject;
3. Has completed six semester hours of professional education coursework in the past five years with a GPA of 2.5, and from a college or university approved to prepare teachers, including:

• Three semester hours in the developmental characteristics of the adolescent through young adult students, and
• Three semester hours in teaching methods (this course must include field experience).;

4. Successful completion of the PRAXIS II examination for teacher licensure that measures content knowledge in the teaching subject.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Employing school district agrees to provide a structured mentoring program.

The individual enters the classroom to teach full-time in the teaching subject for two years under the alternative educator license.

Must complete 12 additional semester hours of professional education coursework, with a GPA of 2.5 or above, prior to expiration of the alternative educator license, from a college or university approved to prepare teachers, in the principles and practices of teaching, student development and learning; pupil assessment procedures; curriculum development; classroom management; and teaching methodology.

Must successfully complete the Praxis II examination required for teacher licensure that measures professional knowledge.

The school district can then recommend licensure and the individual can be licensed as a two-year provisional teachers -- the initial teaching license issued to all beginning teachers.

After receiving the two-year provisional license, the educator must then meet the teacher licensure standards to transfer from a provisional to a professional license, and then to renew that license.

NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS TO COMPLETE

Up to two years to complete a total of 18 hours of professional education coursework, including six semester hours of pre-service and 12 semester hours of in-service course work.

LENGTH OF TIME

Two years, nonrenewable.