Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-2-.11

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 12, September 30, 2024

Section 290-3-2-.11 - Provisional Certificate In Library Media Or School Counseling (PCLS) Approach

(1)Overview. This approach was previously named the Preliminary Certificate (PRE) Approach. When no other certification approach is applicable, a superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ an individual may request a Provisional Certificate (PCLS). The individual must be employed full-time in the area of instructional support for which the certificate is issued while completing the requirements of the PCLS approach to earn at least a Class A Professional Educator Certificate in that area. A PCLS is available only in the areas of Library Media and School Counseling.

(2)General Information.

(a) An individual must complete two full scholastic years of full-time professional educational work experience in the area of instructional support for which the certificate is issued while holding the valid PCLS and/or PRE in no more than two public school systems and/or nonpublic schools within the four scholastic years from the July 1 beginning date of the first PCLS or PRE.

(b) An individual must hold a valid certificate for all teaching fields and/or areas of instructional support to which he or she is assigned. An individual who holds a valid PCLS must be assigned only to the area of instructional support for which the PCLS was issued.

(c) The superintendent or administrator must monitor the applicant's compliance with the requirements of the PCLS approach.

(d) An individual who held the first Preliminary Certificate (PRE) in library media, school counseling, or speech or language impairment valid for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, or 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the second PCLS in the same area if all requirements have been met.

1. An individual who held the first PRE valid for the 2013-2014 scholastic year may be issued the second PCLS valid for the 2016-2017 scholastic year.

2. An individual who held the first PRE valid for the 2014-2015 scholastic year may be issued the second PCLS valid for the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 scholastic year.

3. An individual who held the first PRE valid for the 2015-2016 scholastic year may be issued the second PCLS valid for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, or 2018-2019 scholastic year.

(3) Grade Levels, Areas of Instructional Support, and Resulting Professional Educator Certificate.

PCLS Grade Levels	P - 12
PCLS Areas of Instructional Support: Library Media or School Counseling	A
Resulting Professional Educator Certificate	Class A or AA

^aFirst and second PCLSs and/or PREs must be issued in the same area.

(4) Limitations on Issuance.

(a) An individual may not be employed for more than three scholastic years on the basis of holding an Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate, a Career and Technical Alternative Baccalaureate-Level Certificate, a Preliminary Certificate, a Preliminary Certificate Through Exception, a Special Alternative Certificate, a Provisional Certificate, an Interim Employment Certificate, a Business and Industry to Educational Administrator Certificate, an alternative-approach certificate issued by another state or issuing authority, or any combination thereof.

(b) A PCLS is only valid for employment with the public school system or nonpublic school to which the PCLS was issued.

(c) An individual who has not completed all requirements for professional educator certification through this approach by the expiration date of the second PCLS shall no longer be eligible for certification through the PCLS approach.

(d) An individual who earns a Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate in the area for which the alternative certificates were issued may be eligible to follow an alternative approach to earning a Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate in another area.

(e) A PCLS for the requested area will not be issued for individuals who could meet requirements for certification through any other alternative, reciprocal, or traditional approach option for the requested area.

(f) A PCLS will not be issued to an individual who holds an expired Alabama Professional Educator Certificate in Library Media or School Counseling or an expired professional educator certificate in Library Media or School Counseling issued by another state.

(g) A first PCLS in speech or language impairment/ speech-language pathology at the master's degree level or higher will not be issued with a valid period beginning on or after July 1, 2016. Available approaches for speech or language impaired certification are in Rules 290-3-2-.30, 290-3-2-.31, and 290-3-2-.32.

(h) Individuals who held a first Preliminary Certificate (PRE) prior to the 2011-2012 scholastic year are no longer eligible for a subsequent PRE under the rules that were in effect at the time the first PRE was issued nor are they eligible for the second PCLS. If the three year alternative certificate cap as prescribed in Rule (4)(a) has not been exceeded, an individual may meet requirements for another certification approach.

(5)First PCLS in Library Media.

(a)Application.

1. The applicant is required to submit to the superintendent or administrator the current application for this approach and documentation of having met all requirements as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.11 and on the application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to serve full-time as a school librarian is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section:

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCLS is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b) Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first PCLS is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

2. Verification of a current passing score on the prescribed Praxis II subject area test(s) of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). Additional information is in Rule 290-3-2-.02(9).

3. Verification of having met one of the following options:

(i) Option 1. Completion of an Alabama State-approved program in library media but lacking the required two full years of full-time professional educational work experience. This option will no longer be available beginning the 2021-2022 scholastic year.

(I) At least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or another area of instructional support, or a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate as prescribed in the Educator Preparation Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code.

(II) Verification on the current application form for the State-Approved Program Approach as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.33 that:

I. The applicant was unconditionally admitted to a Class A State-approved program in library media prior to July 1, 2 017; and

II. The applicant completed a Class A State-approved program in library media with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

(III) Verification on an official transcript of at least an earned master's degree from a regionally accredited senior institution.

(ii) Option 2. Holding a valid master's degree level or higher professional educator certificate in library media from another state but lacking the required two full years of full-time professional educational work experience.

(I) Verification of the applicant's valid master's degree level or higher professional educator certificate in library media issued by another state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. Territory, or the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) through submission of one of the following:

I. The original professional educator certificate.

II. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

(II) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(Ill) Verification on an official transcript (s) of at least an earned master's degree from a regionally accredited senior institution.

(iii) Option 3. Master's degree or higher in library science or library information systems.

(I) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(II) Verification on an official transcript(s) of at least an earned master's degree in library science or library information systems from a regionally accredited senior institution. Verification on an official transcript of an earned education specialist degree or doctoral degree in library science or library information systems from a regionally accredited senior institution may also meet the degree requirement.

I. The master's or higher degree must be posted with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. For issuance of the first PRE with a valid period beginning July 1, 2017, and thereafter, the master's or higher degree must be posted with a minimum overall GPA of at least 3.25. The overall GPA is the GPA posted on the official transcript of the degree granting institution that was used as the basis for granting the degree.

II. The GPA requirement does not apply to an applicant holding a valid Class A or Class AA Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate.

4. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(6)First PCLS in School Counseling.

(a)Application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to serve full-time, as a school counselor is required to submit to the Educator Certification Section:

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCLS is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b)Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first PCLS is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

3. Verification of having met one of the following options:

(i)Option 1. Completion of an Alabama State-approved program in school counseling but lacking the required two full years of full-time professional educational work experience. This option will no longer be available beginning the 2021-2022 scholastic year.

(II) Verification on the current application form for the State-Approved Program Approach as prescribed in Rule 290-3-2-.33 that:

I. The applicant was unconditionally admitted to a Class A State-approved program in school counseling prior to July 1, 2 017; and

II. The applicant completed a Class A State-approved program in school counseling with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

(III) Verification on an official transcript of at least an earned master's degree from a regionally accredited senior institution.

(ii)Option 2. Holding a valid master's degree level or higher professional educator certificate in school counseling from another state but lacking the required two full years of full-time professional educational work experience.

(I) Verification of the applicant's valid master's degree level or higher professional educator certificate in school counseling issued by another state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. Territory, or the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) through submission of one of the following:

I. The original professional educator certificate.

II. Supplement CER completed by the certificate issuing authority.

(II) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(III) Verification on an official transcript (s) of at least an earned master's degree from a regionally accredited senior institution.

(iii)Option 3. Master's degree or higher in an area of counseling other than school counseling.

(I) Verification on official transcript(s) of all degrees earned.

(II) Verification on an official transcript(s) of at least an earned master's degree in an area of counseling other than school counseling from a regionally accredited senior institution. Verification on an official transcript of an earned education specialist or doctoral degree in an area of counseling other than school counseling from a regionally accredited senior institution may also meet the degree requirement.

(III) Verification of a valid license as an Associate Licensed Counselor (ALC) or a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) issued by a state board of examiners in counseling.

4. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(7)Second PCLS in Library Media or School Counseling.

(a)Application.

2. The superintendent or administrator who wishes to employ the applicant to serve full-time, in the area of instructional support for which the first PCLS was issued is

(i) A recommendation on the current application for this approach no later than October 1 of the scholastic year for which the PCLS is requested.

(ii) The applicant's current application and documentation of having met all requirements.

(b)Requirements. All requirements must be successfully completed prior to October 1 of the scholastic year for which the second PCLS is requested.

1. Successful completion of the Alabama Special Requirements in Rule 290-3-2-.02(4).

2. Verification on Supplement EXP of professional educational work experience as follows:

(i) For library media:

(I) A full scholastic year of full-time professional educational work experience as a school librarian while holding the first PCLS in library media; or

(II) At least one full semester of full-time professional educational work experience as a school librarian while holding the first PRE in library media valid for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, or 2015-2016 scholastic year, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.15(1)(e) of Supplement Number 10-4 of the Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code.

(ii) For school counseling:

(I) A full scholastic year of full-time professional educational work experience as a school counselor while holding the first PCLS in school counseling; or

(II) At least one full semester of full-time professional educational work experience as a school counselor while holding the first PRE in school counseling valid for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, or 2015-2016 scholastic year, except as noted in Rule 290-3-2-.15(1)(e) of Supplement Number 10-4 of the Educator Certification Chapter of the Alabama Administrative Code.

3. An assigned mentor as required in Rule 290-3-2-.01(29).

(8)Degree Level.

(a) If using Option 1, the certificate shall be issued at the master's degree level.

(b) If using Option 2, the certificate shall be issued at the highest degree level of the certificate held in that area from another state.

(c) If using Option 3, the certificate shall be issued at the level of the applicant's highest earned degree (master's, education specialist, but not doctoral) from a regionally accredited senior institution with a major in the area of instructional support.

(9)Valid Period. The certificate shall be valid for one scholastic year (July 1 to June 30).

(10)Professional Educator Certificate. The applicant must apply for the Professional Educator Certificate. Information pertaining to this approach may be found in Rule 290-3-2-.13.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-2-.11

Adopted by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 06, March 31, 2016, eff. 4/24/2016.

Author: Dr. Thomas R. Bice

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, Ala. Const. Amend. 284, §§ 16-3-11, 16-23-1, 16-23-2.