On Dec. 16, 2021, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process to revise Miss. Code 7 – 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12 to modify the existing pre-teaching coursework requirement for all SBE approved Alternate Route Programs. Public comments are due by 5 p.m. Jan. 31, 2022.
On Nov. 5, 2021, the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification, and Licensure and Development (Licensure Commission) granted approval to modify the existing pre-teaching coursework for all SBE approved alternate route programs to require nine hours of pre-teaching coursework by adding Introduction to Special Education as a course requirement to the current six hours of pre-teaching coursework, Classroom Management and Data, Analysis, and Evaluation.
Upon successful completion of the nine hours of coursework and all other preparation program and licensure preconditions, the candidate will be considered eligible for obtaining the three-year (or one-year as appropriate based on program) alternate route internship license. Current requirements for converting the three-year (or one-year as appropriate based on program) alternate route internship license to the five-year standard license remains in effect which consist of the successful completion of an internship (six coursework credit hours) serving as teacher of record.
This modification will become effective with candidates seeking admittance to a SBE approved alternate route program upon receipt of final SBE approval and thereafter. To review the APA notice please visit the Mississippi Department of Education APA webpage at https://www.mdek12.org/PN/APA.
All public comments must be received in the Division of Educator Licensure no later than 5 p.m. Jan. 31, 2022. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE Feb. 17, 2022.