File:  GCA

 

LOCAL LICENSES FOR TEACHERS

 

The Buena Vista City School Board recognizes that some high quality teachers may not meet the requirements for a state-issued, Board of Education collegiate or postgraduate professional license.  Therefore, to ensure the placement of high quality teachers, the School Board will offer a three year nonrenewable local teacher license to qualified individuals who meet the requirements of this policy.  If a teacher employed under a local teacher license is activated or deployed for military service within a school year (July 1 – June 30), the School Board may provide an additional year to the teacher’s local teacher license for each school year or portion thereof the teacher is activated or deployed.  The additional year or years shall be granted the following year or years after the return of the teacher from deployment or activation.

 

            Qualifications

 

            To be eligible for a local teaching license, an individual must have the following qualifications:

·        a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

·        appropriate experience or training in a relevant subject or content area.

 

No local teacher license will be issued to teachers providing instruction in:

 

·        special education.

·        courses that represent core academic areas as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which currently include English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography.

 

Individuals eligible for a collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license issued by the state Board of Education shall not be eligible for a local teacher license.

 

Conditions/Requirements

 

Teachers employed under a local license shall be considered probationary teachers and shall not be eligible for continuing contract status.  During the three year local license period, teachers shall complete any training specified by the division superintendent, school board or the state Board of Education.  Such training shall include curriculum and instruction, education technology, reading and other specific course content relating to the Standards of Learning, differentiation of instruction, classroom/behavior management and human growth and development.

 

The Board of Education shall issue a collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license to teachers employed under a local license if the following conditions are satisfied:

·        the superintendent and school board recommend the teacher for state licensure.

·        the teacher completes three successful years of teaching experience under a local license.  The success must be certified by the superintendent and school board.

 

·        the teacher earns a satisfactory score on the professional teacher's examination required by the state Board of Education.

 

·        the teacher completes other standards as may be prescribed by the state Board of Education.

 

Locally licensed teachers who obtain a state collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license must serve a three year probationary period after attaining such license before being eligible for continuing contract status.

 

No more than ten percent of teachers employed by the school board may hold a local license.  This figure shall be determined based on the number of teachers employed during the preceding year.  The local license shall be valid only in the school division that issues the license.

 

Application Process

 

Any classroom teacher candidate may apply in writing to the superintendent for a local teaching license.  Application for a local license shall include evidence of satisfying the eligibility criteria above.  The superintendent or designee shall review each application and decide whether to recommend to the school board that the applicant be granted a local license.  Upon recommendation of the superintendent, the school board may issue a local license to satisfactory applicants.

 

Reporting

 

The school board shall report information about teachers employed under a local license to the Board of Education.

 

 

Adopted:        08/23/04; 06/26/08

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Legal Refs:           20 U.S.C. § 7801(11).

 

Code of Virginia, as amended, §§ 22.1-298, 22.1-299 and 22.1-299.3.

 

Cross Refs:           GC             Professional Staff

                                GCG          Professional Staff Probation and Continuing Contract

                                GCPD     Professional Staff Members:  Contract Status and Discipline

 

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