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Board adopts updated teacher-licensing rule, sets 60-day assignment limit for licensed positions
Summary
On second and final reading the board continued and approved R277-309, clarifying that LEAs may assign an educator as licensed only while an application is pending and limiting assignment duration to a 60-day window before reclassification is required.
The Utah State Board of Education continued and approved amendments to R277-309 (Appropriate Licensing and Assignment of Teachers) on second and final reading.
Key change: The rule clarifies when an LEA may assign an educator to a licensed assignment while that person is working toward licensure. Staff explained the rule is intended to create a clear window for LEA assignments: if an educator has applied for a license and the application process is underway, the LEA may assign the person as a licensed educator for a limited period; if the educator remains unlicensed after 60 days the LEA must remove the licensed assignment and either place the person in a non-licensed role (for example, substitute or paraeducator) or secure an alternate allowable license (such as an LEA-specific license).
Staff explanation and safeguards: Malia Hyde, executive coordinator for educator licensing, told the board that out-of-state licensing applications typically take no more than two-and-a-half weeks when documentation is complete, and that background-check clearances remain a legal precondition for workplace assignments. She said the rule is meant to avoid indefinite 'in-process' assignments recorded in the state assignment system (Cactus/USIMS) and to ensure accurate reporting and compliance.
Board action: R277-309 passed on second and final reading unanimously by those voting; members asked clarifying questions about exceptional cases (out-of-state transfers, LEA-specific licenses, special education or background-check-related ineligibility) and staff described alternatives and enforcement pathways.
Implication: The change aims to improve assignment reporting accuracy and to create an enforceable compliance point for LEAs while preserving options (LEA-specific licenses, substitute assignments) in cases where full licensure is not granted.
Next step: Staff will implement the rule language and provide guidance to LEAs on assignment reporting and permissible LEA-specific licenses.
