Sec. 10-145f. Testing for prospective teachers.
Sec. 10-145f. Testing for prospective teachers. (a) No person shall be formally
admitted to a State Board of Education approved teacher preparation program until such
person has achieved satisfactory scores on all components, in one administration, or,
on and after January 1, 1995, has achieved satisfactory scores on all components of
the state reading, writing and mathematics competency examination prescribed by and
administered under the direction of the board, or has achieved a combined score of one
thousand or more on a Scholastic Aptitude Test administered on or before March 31,
1995, or a combined score of eleven hundred or more on a Scholastic Aptitude Test
administered on or after April 1, 1995, or an equivalent score as determined by the board
on a test deemed equivalent by the board, provided, if the Scholastic Aptitude Test or
the equivalent test was a non-English-language version, the person shall demonstrate a
satisfactory level of English proficiency as determined by the board on a test prescribed
by the board. Such competency examination shall be conducted at least twice during
each year.
(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (i) of section 10-145b, any person who does not hold a valid certificate pursuant to section 10-145b shall (A) achieve
satisfactory scores on all components, in one administration, or, on and after January 1,
1995, satisfactory scores on all components of the state reading, writing and mathematics
competency examination prescribed by and administered under the direction of the
board, or achieve a combined score of one thousand or more on a Scholastic Aptitude
Test administered on or before March 31, 1995, or a combined score of eleven hundred
or more on a Scholastic Aptitude Test administered on or after April 1, 1995, or an
equivalent score as determined by the board on a test deemed equivalent by the board,
provided, if the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the equivalent test is a non-English-language
version, the person shall demonstrate a satisfactory level of English proficiency as determined by the board on a test prescribed by the board, and (B) achieve a satisfactory
evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment in order to be eligible for a certificate pursuant to said section unless such assessment has not been approved by the State Board of Education at the time of application,
in which case the applicant shall not be denied a certificate solely because of the lack
of an evaluation on such assessment.
(2) Any person applying for an additional certification endorsement shall achieve
a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject
area assessment in order to be eligible for such additional endorsement, unless such
assessment has not been approved by the State Board of Education at the time of application, in which case the applicant shall not be denied the additional endorsement solely
because of the lack of an evaluation on such assessment. The State Board of Education
shall complete the development of such area assessments for all appropriate endorsements not later than December 1, 1990.
(3) (A) On and after July 1, 1992, any teacher who held a valid teaching certificate
but whose certificate lapsed and who had completed all requirements for the issuance
of a new certificate pursuant to section 10-145b, except for filing an application for such
certificate, prior to the date on which the lapse occurred, may file, within one year of
the date on which the lapse occurred, an application with the Commissioner of Education
for the issuance of such certificate. Upon the filing of such an application, the commissioner may grant such certificate and such certificate shall be retroactive to the date on
which the lapse occurred, provided the commissioner finds that the lapse of the certificate occurred as a result of a hardship or extenuating circumstances beyond the control
of the applicant. If such teacher has attained tenure and is reemployed by the same board
of education in any equivalent unfilled position for which the person is qualified as a
result of the issuance of a certificate pursuant to this subdivision, the lapse period shall
not constitute a break in employment for such person reemployed and shall be used for
the purpose of calculating continuous employment pursuant to section 10-151. If such
teacher has not attained tenure, the time unemployed due to the lapse of a certificate
shall not be counted toward tenure, except that if such teacher is reemployed by the
same board of education as a result of the issuance of a certificate pursuant to this
subdivision, such teacher may count the previous continuous employment immediately
prior to the lapse towards tenure. Using information provided by the Teachers' Retirement Board, the Department of Education shall annually notify each local or regional
board of education of the name of each teacher employed by such board of education
whose provisional certificate will expire during the period of twelve months following
such notice. Upon receipt of such notice the superintendent of each local and regional
board of education shall notify each such teacher in writing, at such teacher's last known
address, that the teacher's provisional certificate will expire. (B) Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, for any teacher employed by a local or
regional board of education or on authorized leave from such a board of education, during
the 1987-1988 school year, (i) whose teaching certificate lapsed on or after January 15,
1988, (ii) who successfully completed the competency examination in accordance with
the provisions of this section subsequent to the date on which the lapse occurred, (iii)
whose teaching certificate was reissued subsequent to the date on which the lapse occurred, and (iv) who was reemployed by the same board of education during the 1988-1989 school year, such lapse period shall not constitute a break in employment for such
teacher and shall be used for the purpose of calculating continuous employment pursuant
to section 10-151.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, to be eligible
for a certificate to teach subjects for which a bachelor's degree is not required, any
applicant who is otherwise eligible for certification in such endorsement areas shall be
entitled to a certificate without having met the requirements of the competency examination and subject area assessment pursuant to this subsection for a period not to exceed two
years, except that for a certificate to teach skilled trades or trade-related or occupational
subjects, the commissioner may waive the requirement that the applicant take the competency examination. The commissioner may, upon the showing of good cause, extend
the certificate.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section and section 10-145b, the following persons shall be eligible for a nonrenewable temporary certificate: (1) A person who
has resided in a state other than Connecticut during the year immediately preceding
application for certification in Connecticut and meets the requirements for certification,
excluding successful completion of the competency examination and subject matter
assessment, if such person holds current teacher certification in a state other than Connecticut and has completed at least one year of successful teaching in another state in
a public school or a nonpublic school approved by the appropriate state board of education, (2) a person who has graduated from a teacher preparation program at a college
or university outside of the state and regionally accredited, and meets the requirements
for certification, excluding successful completion of the competency examination and
subject matter assessment, and (3) a person hired by a charter school after July first in
any school year for a teaching position that school year, provided the person hired after
said date could reasonably be expected to complete the requirements prescribed in subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 10-145b, by the
commencement of the school year following the school year in which such person held
such temporary certificate. The nonrenewable temporary certificate shall be valid for
one year from the date it is issued. Any board of education employing a person who holds
a nonrenewable temporary certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of subdivision
(2) of this subsection shall provide a program to assist each such person who has not
successfully completed the competency examination by January fifteenth of the school
year in which such certificate was issued. Said program, developed in consultation with
the Department of Education, shall include academic and classroom support service
components. Each such person who does not successfully complete said examination
by said January fifteenth shall participate in said program.
(d) Any person who is first issued a certificate valid after July 1, 1989, or who
is reissued a certificate after July 1, 1989, shall, except as otherwise provided in this
subsection, be required to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on a professional knowledge
clinical assessment not later than the end of the second year of teaching in a public
school if hired prior to January first or, if hired on or after January first, not later than
the end of the second full school year of teaching following the year in which such
person was hired in order to retain the certificate. The commissioner (1) may waive
the requirement that such satisfactory evaluation on a professional knowledge clinical
assessment be achieved upon a determination that such assessment is not valid for the
person's teaching assignment, or (2) upon a showing of good cause, may extend the time
limit for the assessment for a period of time not exceeding two years. The requirement of
a clinical assessment shall not apply to any such person who has completed at least three
years of successful teaching in a public school or a nonpublic school approved by the
appropriate state board of education during the ten years immediately preceding the
date of application or who successfully taught with a provisional teaching certificate
during the year immediately preceding an application for a provisional educator certificate as an employee of a local or regional board of education or facility approved for
special education by the State Board of Education. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this subsection, the State Board of Education may reissue an initial educator certificate
to a person who held such certificate and did not achieve a satisfactory evaluation on
a professional knowledge clinical assessment provided the person submits evidence
demonstrating significant intervening study and experience, in accordance with standards established by the State Board of Education.
(e) The board shall, by regulation, set all fees to be charged to each person who
applies to take the State Board of Education administered competency examination, the
subject area assessment or the professional knowledge clinical assessment, which shall
be not less than seventy-five dollars for the competency examination and subject area
assessment for the elementary level. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to
the contrary, the Commissioner of Education may waive any fee under this section due
to a candidate's inability to pay.
(P.A. 85-532, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-147, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-464, S. 5, 8; 87-499, S. 9, 10, 34; P.A. 88-273, S. 3, 4, 8, 9; 88-360,
S. 19-21, 63; P.A. 89-137, S. 6-8, 13, 14; 89-251, S. 68, 203; P.A. 90-325, S. 2-5, 32; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 3, 117;
P.A. 93-353, S. 19, 34, 52; P.A. 94-245, S. 4, 46; P.A. 95-259, S. 15, 32; P.A. 96-214, S. 9; 96-244, S. 13, 57, 63; P.A. 03-76, S. 13, 14; 03-174, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 86-147 in Subsec. (b) deleted reference to professional knowledge assessment, added testing requirements
for permanent and lapsed or revoked certificate holders and persons applying for additional certification endorsement and
set deadline for development of subject area assessment, added Subsec. (c) to provide for a nonrenewable temporary
certificate, added Subsec. (d) re professional knowledge clinical assessment, added Subsec. (e) which had been part of
Subsec. (b) and made other technical changes; P.A. 87-464 added Subdiv. and Subpara. designations in Subsec. (b) and
in Subsec. (c) provided for nonrenewable temporary certificates for graduates of out-of-state teacher preparation programs;
P.A. 87-499 in Subsec. (b) provided an exception to the testing requirements for applicants for certificates to teach skilled
trades and trade-related subjects and in Subsec. (d) deleted "provisional" and made the Subsec. apply to all certificate
holders, counted the 10 years from the date of application rather than date of employment under provisional certificate,
substituted July for May and provided that the time limit for assessment may be extended by "one year" rather than by
"not more than one year"; P.A. 88-273 inserted new Subsec. (b)(3) re standard certificates for and the reemployment of
holders of certain lapsed provisional certificates and re annual notification by state department of education of provisional
certificates which are to expire in the subsequent 12 months, and renumbered old Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (4), amended
Subsec. (c) to provide for the issuance of a nonrenewable temporary certificate pursuant to Subdiv. (2) for the 1988-1989
school year and in Subsec. (d) substituted July 1, 1989, for July 1, 1988; P.A. 88-360 in Subsec. (a) substituted "scores on all
components, in one administration of the" for "score on each component of any one" state reading, writing and mathematics
competency examination and made a technical change, in Subsec. (b)(1) substituted "scores on all components, in one
administration, of the" for "score on each component of any one" state reading, writing and mathematics competency
examination and in Subdiv. (3) (now (4)) of Subsec. (b) substituted "subjects for which a bachelor's degree is not required"
for "skilled trades and trade-related subjects" and in Subsec. (e) substituted "all fees" for "a fee", specified that the competency examination be that administered by the state board of education, provided that the fees be at a level not to exceed
the administrative costs but need not be at a level to meet all such costs and added provisions re the competency examination
fee, registration fees and waivers of fees; P.A. 89-137 in Subsec. (b)(2) substituted December 1, 1990, for May 1, 1990,
as the date before which the state board of education shall complete the development of subject area assessments, in Subsec.
(b)(3) added Subpara. (A) designation, deleted the provisions granting a standard certificate to certain persons whose
provisional certificates had lapsed and concerning the reemployment of such teachers and treatment of the lapse period,
specified the circumstances under which the commissioner of education may issue a new certificate to a teacher whose
certificate has lapsed, specified the circumstances under which the lapse period is not a break in employment and is
used for calculating continuous employment, required superintendents to notify teachers of the expiration of provisional
certificates and added new Subpara. (B) re the granting of a provisional teaching certificate to certain persons 65 years of
age or older, in Subsec. (b)(4) permitted the commissioner of education to waive the competency examination requirement
for applicants for certificates to teach skilled trades or trade-related or occupational subjects, and in Subsec. (d) permitted the
reissuance of an initial educator certificate to certain persons who did not achieve a satisfactory evaluation on a professional
knowledge clinical assessment; P.A. 89-251 set the fee for the competency examination at not less than $48 and increased
the fee for retesting from $10 to $12; P.A. 90-325 in Subsec. (b)(1) with an exception made the subdivision apply to any
person who does not hold a valid certificate and provided that a satisfactory evaluation on a subject area assessment not
be required if the assessment has not been approved by the state board of education, rather than if it has not been developed,
in Subsec. (b)(2) provided that a satisfactory evaluation on a subject area assessment for eligibility for an additional
endorsement not be required if the assessment has not been approved by the state board of education, rather than if it has
not been developed, in Subsec. (c) removed the limitation that nonrenewable temporary certificates for graduates of out-of-state teacher preparation programs be issued only for certain years and in added Subsec. (d)(1) to allow the commissioner
of education to waive the requirement of a satisfactory evaluation on a professional knowledge clinical assessment if the
assessment is not valid for the person's teaching assignment and provided that the requirement not apply to certain persons
who taught with provisional teaching certificates; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 amended Subsec. (e) to provide the fee shall
be not less than $75 for competency examination and subject area assessment for the elementary level and to delete
references to board discretion regarding assessment of fees; P.A. 93-353 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions concerning
the Scholastic Aptitude Test scores or those of an equivalent test and amended Subsec. (b)(3) to make the Subdiv. applicable
on and after July 1, 1992, to remove the requirement that the teacher have held the certificate "while employed by a local
or regional board of education or a facility approved for special education by the state board of education or on authorized
leave from such a board of education or facility", to divide Subpara. (A) into (A) and (B) and to delete the existing Subpara.
(B) which was obsolete, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-245 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to provide that on and after January
1, 1995, satisfactory scores in all components of competency examinations need not be achieved in one administration and
to substitute an examination administered "under the direction of" the board for an examination administered "by" the board,
effective June 2, 1994; P.A. 95-259 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to apply the existing requirements to tests administered on
or before March 31, 1995, and to add new requirements for tests administered after said date, also in Subsec. (b) added
the provisions dealing with non-English versions and amended Subsec. (c) to change the time frame for the validity of
nonrenewable temporary certificates, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 96-214 added Subsec. (c)(3) re person hired by a charter
school after July first in any school year; P.A. 96-244 amended Subsec. (c)(3) to change the eligibility requirement for the
temporary certificate for persons hired by a charter school and amended Subsec. (d) to extend the time for achievement
of a satisfactory evaluation on a professional knowledge clinical assessment from within "one" to "two" years and made
a technical change, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 03-76 made technical changes in Subsecs. (b)(3) and (c), effective June 3,
2003; P.A. 03-174 amended Subsec. (d) by differentiating between teachers hired prior to January first and teachers hired
on or after January first re timing of evaluation, substituting a two-year extension for a one-year extension in Subdiv. (2),
and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2003.
See Sec. 4d-86 re state-wide standard for teacher and administrator competency in use of technology for instructional
purposes.