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Board adopts multiple COMAR changes to educator licensure; agrees to study arts-specific licensure pathway
Summary
The board voted to adopt amendments to COMAR 13A.12 (educator licensure) and other program-approval rules, adding a military reciprocity provision and aligning pathways to recent statutes. Public commenters urged a transcript-analysis path for arts teachers; the board asked MSDE to return recommendations in Feb–Mar.
The Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board voted to adopt multiple amendments to the educator-licensure regulations and related program-approval rules during its December meeting.
MSDE presented packages under COMAR 13A.12 (educator licensure), 13A.07.0602 (program approval/licensure), and related sections to realign the regulatory code with changes passed in 2023 and 2024. Kelly told the board that the package included a new military-reciprocity regulation to implement a federal law and several technical corrections. The department received a small number of public comments during the Maryland Register public-comment period; one supportive comment from school counselors pointed out an inadvertent waiver omission that MSDE corrected.
After discussion over a clarification of language (for example, whether to retain "may" or change to "shall" in reinstatement language), Dr. Taylor moved and Karen Yoho seconded the motion to adopt COMAR 13A.12; the board adopted the package unanimously by voice.
The board also considered amendments to the pathways-to-licensure regulation (13A.120203). Several public commenters and board members urged explicit transcript-analysis pathways for fine-arts teachers, citing access barriers for arts educators and conditionally licensed practitioners. The board agreed not to delay the current promulgation but formally charged MSDE to convene arts experts and return potential pathway language in February or March for further consideration.
MSDE further asked permission to publish an "incorporation by reference" regulation to update national standards cited in COMAR (for example, replacing older Teaching Tolerance citations with Learning for Justice and incorporating the Learning Forward 2022 standards); the board granted permission to publish with minor editorial corrections.
Taken together, the votes clear the department to move forward with statutory alignment while leaving time to explore discipline-specific pathway adjustments raised by practitioners.
