Section 5-A1601. TEACHER CREDENTIALS

 

1601.1An individual shall hold a teaching credential to serve as a teacher in the District of Columbia Public Schools for the sub-specializations enumerated in this section.

 

1601.2All individuals required to hold a teaching credential to serve as a teacher in a local education agency (LEA) in the District of Columbia must do so in accordance with the sub-specializations enumerated in this chapter.

 

1601.3OSSE shall issue an initial, standard, and advanced teaching credential in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

 

1601.4All teaching credentials shall specify the discipline(s) and/or sub-specialization(s) in which the holder is authorized to teach.

 

1601.5All applicants seeking an initial teaching credential in the District of Columbia shall:

 

(a)  Have earned a bachelor’s degree at a college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies approved by the U.S. Department of Education;

 

(b)Have successfully passed an examination approved by OSSE and developed to assess general reading, writing, mathematics skills and other general content knowledge as designated by OSSE, with a qualifying score determined by OSSE;

 

(c)Have successfully passed a subject matter content exam approved by OSSE, in the discipline(s) and/or sub-specializations(s) of the credential being sought; and

 

(d)Meet the requirements of Subsection 1601.6.

 

1601.6An applicant shall be issued an initial teaching credential by meeting the requirements described in Subsection 1601.5 and submitting the following:

 

(a)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant

 

(1) Is admitted into an OSSE-approved teacher preparation program aligned with the content discipline of the credential being sought, or in a teacher preparation program approved by another state approved by OSSE in accordance with the interstate agreement provisions outlined in this chapter; and

 

(2) Is employed or contracted as a teacher by an LEA operating in the District of Columbia; or

 

(b)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

 

(1) Has at least two (2) years of effective full-time teaching experience in another state as measured by a summative evaluation rating or two (2) years of effective or equivalent teaching as measured by the student growth component of an evaluation rating.  The experience shall be completed within the previous five (5) years, and the final year shall show a rating of effective or higher; and

 

(2) Has a valid, current teaching credential, in good standing, issued from another state approved by OSSE in accordance with the interstate agreement provisions outlined in this chapter; or

 

(c)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

 

(1) Is employed or contracted as a teacher by an LEA operating in the District of Columbia; and

 

(2) Has a written request for issuance of an initial teaching credential addressed to OSSE from the employing LEA.

 

1601.7The term of the initial teaching credential shall expire on July 31st of the third (3rd) calendar year after issuance.

 

1601.8The initial teaching credential is not renewable.

 

1601.9An applicant shall be issued a standard teaching credential by meeting the following requirements and submitting the following:

(a)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

 

(1) Completed an educator preparation program approved by OSSE or an approved program in another state approved by OSSE in accordance with the interstate agreement provisions outlined in this chapter;

 

(2) Successfully passed an examination approved by OSSE, developed to assess general reading, writing,  mathematics skills, and other general content knowledge as designated by OSSE;

 

(3) Successfully passed a subject matter content examination approved by OSSE, in the content discipline for which a credential is sought; and

 

(4) Successfully passed a grade-appropriate pedagogy examination approved by OSSE, or performance-based assessment, as designated by OSSE, with a qualifying score determined by OSSE; or

 

(b)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

 

(1) Held an initial teaching credential in the District of Columbia;

 

(2) Completed at least two (2) years of effective or equivalent full-time teaching experience at an LEA in the District of Columbia within the five (5) year period prior to the application, as demonstrated by the applicant’s summative evaluation rating from the employing LEA; and 

 

(3) Successfully passed a grade-appropriate pedagogy examination approved by OSSE, or performance-based assessment, as designated by OSSE, with a qualifying score determined by OSSE; or

 

(c)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

 

(1) Holds a teaching credential issued by another state approved by OSSE in accordance with the interstate agreement provisions outlined in this chapter;

 

(2) Successfully passed an examination approved by OSSE and developed to assess basic reading, writing, mathematics skills, and other general content knowledge designated by OSSE;

 

(3) Successfully passed a subject matter content examination approved by OSSE in the content discipline for which a credential is sought;

 

(4) Successfully passed a grade-appropriate pedagogy examination or performance-based assessment, as designated by OSSE; and

 

(5) Has at least two (2) years of effective or equivalent full-time teaching experience in another state, as measured by a summative evaluation rating of two (2) years of effective or equivalent teaching based upon the student growth component of an evaluation rating.  The experience shall be completed within five (5) years prior to an application for the credential, and the final year shall show a rating of effective or higher; or

 

(d)Documentation satisfactory to OSSE to confirm that the applicant:

(1) Is currently or has been employed as a teacher by an LEA operating in the District of Columbia;

 

(2) Has completed at least two (2) years of effective or equivalent full-time teaching experience at an LEA in the District of Columbia within the three (3) years prior to the application, as demonstrated by the applicant’s summative evaluation rating from the employing LEA; 

 

(3) Successfully passed an examination approved by OSSE, developed to assess general reading, writing, mathematics skills and other general content knowledge as designated by OSSE;

 

(4) Successfully passed a subject matter content examination approved by OSSE, in the content discipline for which a credential is sought; and

 

(5) Successfully passed a grade-appropriate pedagogy examination or performance-based assessment, as designated by OSSE, with a qualifying score determined by OSSE.

 

1601.10A standard teaching credential shall be valid for a term of four (4) years. 

 

1601.11A standard teaching credential may be renewed if the requirements for renewal of this credential are met, in accordance with this chapter.  A renewal period shall be for a term of four (4) years.

 

1601.12[RESERVED]

 

1601.13[RESERVED]

 

1601.14[RESERVED]

 

 

authority

Sections 2a, 3(b)(11), (12) and (17) of the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective October 21, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-176; D.C. Official Code §§ 38-2601.01, 38-2602(b)(11), (12), and (17) (2012 Repl. & 2016 Supp.)), and Sections 1002(a)(22) and (36) of the Non-Health Related Occupations and Professions Licensure Act of 1998, effective April 20, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-261; D.C. Official Code § 47-2853.04(a)(22) and (36) (2015 Repl.)).

source

Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 9071 (July 1, 2016).