Committee approves bill allowing experienced teachers to apply for permanent certificate without extra coursework

Summary

The committee voted to report House Bill 3125 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass; the bill would let teachers with a bachelor's degree, 10 years' experience and a valid certificate without unsatisfactory evaluations apply for a permanent teaching certificate without additional coursework.

A Senate committee voted to report House Bill 3125 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass. Committee counsel described the bill as easing the path to a permanent teaching certificate for experienced, certified teachers who meet specified conditions.

Committee counsel explained: "This bill provides that teachers with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of teaching experience with a valid teaching certificate in good standing without any unsatisfactory evaluations will be able to apply for and receive a permanent teaching certificate without having to take additional coursework." The counsel's summary concluded without further amendments or discussion recorded in the transcript.

Vice Chair moved that the committee report the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass. The committee adopted the motion by voice vote; no roll-call tally of individual votes appears in the transcript.

The committee action advances the measure to the full Senate for further consideration.