JACKSON, Miss. — The Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education Certification on Sept. 5 voted to begin Administrative Procedures Act rulemaking to add a supplemental endorsement in Interscholastic Athletic Administration, update the licensure glossary used in K–12 rules, create a two-year provisional reciprocity license for some out-of-state license holders, and expand eligibility for a one-year extension of certain provisional licenses.

The actions, proposed as amendments to Mississippi Administrative Code 7-4, Part 4 (licensure guidelines K-12), will start a public rulemaking process; the commission approved staff to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process for each change. Chair David Martin opened discussion and identified the procedural motions; Miss Lipsey presented the proposals for the commission.

The athletic-administrator item would permit a supplemental endorsement to be added to a valid five-year standard license (Class 5A or higher) after completion of a Mississippi State Board of Education–approved program in interscholastic athletic administration. “The item before you represents a request for approval to establish a supplemental endorsement in athletic administration,” Miss Lipsey said, describing the change as a pathway alternative to the current degree-only route. The commission later approved a separate item from William Carey University to establish an Interscholastic Athletic Administration K–12 supplemental endorsement pending State Board of Education approval of the licensure criteria.

Commissioners asked how many coursework hours would be required. Miss Lipsey said the licensure rule would establish the pathway but that individual institutions proposing programs would submit specific coursework and hours for approval; she cited William Carey’s example and said institutions determine the course set and hours. A commissioner raised concern about ensuring sufficient preparation given athletic administrators’ responsibilities; that concern was discussed without a formal amendment to the proposal.

Separately, the commission approved starting rulemaking to revise the glossary in the licensure guidelines to align terms with the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards and educator-preparation provider guidance. Miss Lipsey said the glossary updates add new definitions and revise existing terms to improve clarity for people entering the education field.

The commission also voted to begin rulemaking to create a two-year, nonrenewable provisional reciprocity license for applicants who hold entry-level or provisional licenses from other jurisdictions so those applicants have time to meet Mississippi standard license requirements. Miss Lipsey described the change as intended to expand access to qualified teachers who otherwise hold nonstandard out-of-state licenses.

Finally, the commission approved rulemaking to expand criteria for a one-time, one-year extension of a provisional, nonrenewable entry-level teaching license for candidates in several nontraditional preparation pathways, a change Miss Lipsey said would align support across multiple routes to the standard Mississippi teacher license.

Each item was approved to proceed through the Administrative Procedures Act process; final rule changes will return to the State Board of Education and the commission for subsequent approvals as required.

What’s next: The commission’s action begins the formal public-notice and comment period under the APA for each item; specific program approvals (for example, William Carey’s proposed course set for the athletic-administrator endorsement) will require separate institutional submission and SBE review where noted.