SB 1159 Summary

• Removes requirement that teachers demonstrate full-time school experience in their specific certification area to be exempt from proficiency exams; now exempts those with three years full-time teaching or school leadership experience in any state in the same certification area.

• Allows school districts and charter schools to establish locally based school leadership preparation programs to certify principals, assistant principals, supervisors and other school-level leaders, with six-year approval periods renewable by application.

• Establishes literacy endorsement requirement for all teachers providing literacy instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade, with completion deadlines of August 1, 2025 for new certificate holders and August 1, 2028 for existing certificate holders.

• Permits school districts and charter schools to enroll candidates without bachelor's degrees into classroom-based teacher preparation programs if they are currently enrolled in an accredited degree program and do not serve as the teacher of record without supervision.

• Requires the Department of Education to annually report disaggregated data on teaching certificates issued and currently held by type and demographics, posted on the department website by November 15.