The Maine State Board of Education has finally adopted the revised Rule for Certification, Authorization and Approval of Education Personnel. The two part (Rule Chapter 115, Part I and Part II) revised rule becomes effective May 14.
In September 2012, Ch. 114 “Purpose, Standards and Procedures for the Review and Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs” underwent changes. Among the approved amendments included the addition of a course in special education law to administrative certificates already requiring federal and Maine civil rights and education law.
The summer and early fall of 2012 saw the State Board react to a directive from Public Law 635: LD 1858 “An Act to Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership” and establish an alternative pathways stakeholders group to review possible changes to Maine’s certification regulations. The group made recommendations to the certification examination process for Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers. The content knowledge exam would be replaced by industry credentials or industry-related exams. The pedagogical skills and knowledge assessment would be replaced by a series of four pedagogical courses. Also recommended is the requirement of a CTE orientation program for new teachers within the first year of employment. Transition language is included to allow those continuously certified under conditional certificates to continue under current rules, but all new CTE teachers would fall under the new rules from September 1, 2015, forward.
Maine education proposed and revised rules can be found at www.maine.gov/doe/rule/changes/.