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INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO:  35
POLICY CODE: GCA

 

TO:                  Superintendent of Schools

FROM:            Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner of Education

DATE:             October 11, 2006

SUBJECT:       Chapter 115, Certification, Authorization, and Approval of Educational Personnel, Part I, Standards and Procedures for Certification, Authorization and Approval and Part II, Requirements for Specific Certificates and Endorsements

********** Please Forward to Principals **********

The State Board is proposing amendments to Chapter 115 - Certification, Authorization, and Approval of Educational Personnel, Part I and Part II, Requirements for Specific Certificates and Endorsements.  This rule sets forth the requirements for educator certifications and authorizations, and for approval of educational personnel.  The rule amendments propose minor and technical clarifications and correct errors and omissions.  The proposed amendments also include:

• a new certificate, the Interim Superintendent Certificate, which would allow a school superintendent whose superintendent certificate has lapsed to be employed in a school district as an interim superintendent for a period of up to two years;
• the removal of reference to the current testing requirement for a targeted need certificate for prelingually deaf certification candidates;
• the inclusion of a provision that identifies  community college courses as acceptable, so long as a minimum grade of “C” is achieved and they are part of an articulated agreement with a regionally accredited four-year college;
• the  waiving of student teaching with permission to teach from the Commissioner and a support team;
• a new endorsement, the Early Childhood (Birth to School Age 5) Endorsement ; and
• the addition of clarifying language inadvertently omitted in a prior rule amendment  in the following teacher endorsements: Middle Level, Foreign Language, Literacy Specialist, and Career and Technical.

A copy of the proposed rule is available at: http://www.maine.gov/education/rulechanges.htm

The legal notice of the proposed amendments was in state newspapers on September 27, 2006.

A public hearing will be held on the proposed rule as follows:

Monday, October 16, 2006, 2:00-3:00 p.m., First Floor, Room 103, Burton Cross State Office Building, Augusta.

Individuals may participate in the hearing simultaneously using the Department’s Interactive Distance Learning Network from the following ATM locations:  Bangor Public Library, Bangor; Greely High School, Cumberland; and Presque Isle High School, Presque Isle.

Written comments will be considered if received in the Department of Education by 5:00 p.m., November 6, 2006. This can be accomplished by: delivering them to the receptionist on the 5th Floor of the Burton M. Cross State Office Building; mailing them to Joanne C. Holmes, Federal Liaison, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0023; faxing them to Joanne C. Holmes at 207-624-6601; or emailing them to jaci.holmes@maine.gov

We encourage public participation in this rule-making process.

 

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