SB 2109

Present law generally requires that only persons possessing a valid license be employed as a teacher in a public elementary or high school. Present law further provides that licenses to teach shall be issued only to graduates of certified teacher trainin g programs. This bill authorizes the state board of education to waive the requirement that an educator possess a license issued by the department of education in order to teach in the public schools of this state for an individual who does not hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution, if: (1) The applicant has a minimum of five consecutive years of full-time teaching experience at a church-related school or private school that is approved to operate Tennessee ; (2) The applicant provides to the state board verification of the experience described in (1), evidence of the applicant's performance of instructional duties, and e vidence of the applicant's completion of professional development training during the period for which the applicant obtained the experience described in (1); and (3) The applicant agrees to release their investigative records to the employing LEA or public charter school and to supply a fingerprint sample and submit to a criminal history records check to be conducted by the TBI and the FBI . A waiver is valid for three years, unless renewed, and does constitute a license. The full text of this bill lists four components of the waiver process that the state board will be required to establish.