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Committee advances two rule packages: adjudicative procedures and teacher-licensing changes
Summary
The committee approved on first reading R277-102 (adjudicative proceedings) and continued and amended R277-309 (teacher licensing and assignment) after several board-led amendments expanding LEA flexibility for CTE teachers, relaxing a math-special-education endorsement requirement, and permitting limited out-of-endorsement assignments; both items were forwarded for continuation and second reading.
The committee considered two rule items affecting board procedures and educator licensing.
R277-102 (Adjudicative Proceedings). Ben Rasmus, director of law and professional practices, described the rule as a rarely used catch-all appeals procedure, useful when a case has no other appeal path (for example, an LEA appealing a corrective action plan). Committee members clarified procedural choices such as whether the chair "may" or "shall" designate a hearing panel and asked about confidentiality for panel members prior to a board decision. The committee approved draft 1 on first reading and forwarded it for continuation and second reading.
R277-309 (Appropriate Licensing and Assignment of Teachers). Staff presented clarifying edits and updates to align the rule with recent legislation and to clarify hiring and endorsement processes. Vice Chair Ballinger proposed several committee amendments to simplify licensing pathways and reduce barriers, including:
- Removing outdated references to a program ended by the legislature. - Allowing CTE teachers to teach in their subject area with either the appropriate endorsement or at least three years of related occupational experience (LEA option). - Striking a requirement that the teacher of record for secondary mathematics serving students with disabilities hold a specific mathematics endorsement, to reduce barriers to retaining special-education teachers. - Permitting educators to teach up to 25% of their assignment out-of-endorsement in secondary settings (excluding driver education) if the LEA determines the educator is qualified and holds a professional license.
Staff and licensure experts explained parallels to prior LEA-specific and provisional licensing pathways and confirmed the driver-education exception is tied to specific training and state driver-licensing examiner requirements. The committee approved the amended R277-309 on first reading and forwarded it for continuation and final reading.
Both items were advanced by unanimous committee votes.
