1. (a) A person employed by a school district as a teacher in charge of an early education program provided by a school district for children who are four and five years of age under AS 14.07.165(a)(5) shall obtain an early education lead teacher endorsement under this section.

2. (b) To qualify for an early education lead teacher endorsement, an applicant shall

   1. (1) hold a valid teacher certificate issued under 4 AAC 12.305 or 4 AAC 12.306; and

   2. (2) submit documentation to the department that the applicant has

      1. (A) completed, or will complete not later than two years after the applicant's date of hire by the school district, a minimum of six credit hours in early childhood education that includes three credit hours, or the equivalent, of an evidence-based reading training course that

         1. (i) is approved by the department; and
         2. (ii) includes a summative assessment; or

      2. (B) two or more years of experience teaching kindergarten or an early education program and has completed three credit hours, or the equivalent, of an evidence-based reading training course that

         1. (i) is approved by the department; and
         2. (ii) includes a summative assessment.
3. (c) In this section, "evidence-based reading training course" means a course with instruction in the areas of an "evidence-based reading intervention" within the meaning given in AS 14.30.780.

(Eff. 7/1/2023, Register 247)

Authority: AS 14.07.020, AS 14.07.165, AS 14.20.020, AS 14.07.060, AS 14.20.015, AS 14.30.780