53A-6-104.5 - Licensing by competency.
53A-6-104.5. Licensing by competency.
(1) A competency-based license to teach may be issued based on the demonstratedcompetence of a teacher as provided in this section.
(2) A local school board or charter school may request, and the State Board of Educationshall grant, upon receipt of documentation from the local school board or charter school verifyingthe person's qualifications as specified in this section, a competency-based license to a personwho meets the qualifications specified in this section and Section 53A-6-401.
(3) A local school board or charter school may request a competency-based license if thecandidate meets the following qualifications:
(a) a license candidate who teaches one or more core academic subjects in an elementaryschool shall:
(i) hold at least a bachelor's degree; and
(ii) have demonstrated, by passing a rigorous state test, subject knowledge and teachingskills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary schoolcurriculum;
(b) a license candidate who teaches one or more core academic subjects in a middle orsecondary school shall:
(i) hold at least a bachelor's degree; and
(ii) have demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects inwhich the teacher teaches by:
(A) passing a rigorous state academic subject test in each of the academic subjects inwhich the teacher teaches; or
(B) successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches,of an academic major, a graduate degree, course work equivalent to an undergraduate academicmajor, or advanced certification or credentialing; or
(c) a license candidate who teaches subjects other than a core academic subject in anelementary, middle, or high school shall:
(i) hold a bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or skill certification; and
(ii) have skills, talents, or abilities, as evaluated by the employing entity, that make theperson suited for the teaching position.
(4) A school district or charter school:
(a) shall monitor and assess the performance of each teacher holding a competency-basedlicense; and
(b) may recommend that the competency-based license holder's training and assessmentbe reviewed by the Utah State Office of Education for a level 1 license.
Amended by Chapter 19, 2004 General Session