HEA 1399 Summary

• State Board of Education must adopt rules by July 1, 2019 establishing elementary school teacher content area licenses, including an elementary mathematics specialist license and at least one mathematics-focused teaching license.

• Elementary mathematics specialist license requires holding a valid early childhood education, elementary generalist, middle school mathematics, or secondary mathematics license, plus 3 years of successful mathematics teaching experience and completion of specified graduate coursework in mathematics content knowledge, pedagogy, and leadership.

• Elementary mathematics teacher license (if established) requires coursework in specialized mathematics content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge in science/technology/engineering/mathematics fields, and a supervised practicum working with elementary students and teachers.

• Elementary mathematics and science teacher license (if established) requires coursework in mathematics content knowledge, specialized content knowledge in biology, chemistry, earth sciences, or physics, pedagogical coursework, and a supervised practicum.

• Department of Education shall develop an incentive program to assist and reward teachers pursuing and earning content area licenses under these provisions, with recommendations submitted to the General Assembly.