1. 1. Rationale of Class A Programs for Instructional Support Personnel. These Class A programs shall prepare educators to serve effectively in instructional support positions. These are initial certification programs in these areas.

2. 2. Curriculum: The EPP ensures that candidates for instructional support programs develop understanding of the critical concepts and principles of their field of preparation and can use professional specialty practices flexibly to advance the learning of all P-12 students towards attainment of Alabama’s college and career ready standards.

   Candidates develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions in applications of data literacy, use of qualitative and quantitative research, data analysis, strategies to develop supportive school environments, leading and/or participating in collaborative activities to foster collegiality, and technology utilization to enhance school initiatives and student performance.

3. 3. Institutional and Program Requirements.

   1. a. Class A programs are limited to accredited institutions that meet accreditation standards at the master’s degree or higher level.
   2. b. Institutions must have and enforce policies that prevent candidates from using courses for both undergraduate and graduate level credit.
   3. c. Completion of a Class A program for instructional support personnel requires at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit appropriate to the area of instructional support and not used for prior-level certification in any teaching field or area of instructional support.
   4. d. Mutually beneficial partnerships co-constructed to advanced community engagement, technology utilization, collaboration, and shared responsibility for continuous improvement.
   5. e. Clinical experiences that afford candidates the opportunity to practice varied applications of content knowledge and skills. Candidates will have opportunities to demonstrate proficiencies through action research and problem-based learning.

4. 4. Unconditional Admission to Class A Programs for Instructional Support Personnel. Each institution shall establish and enforce a policy that specifies when the candidate must meet criteria for unconditional admission to the program. Admission to the graduate school is not equivalent to unconditional admission to an approved program. These requirements are for all Class A instructional support programs unless specified otherwise. Requirements for unconditional admission shall include:

   1. a. A criminal history background check. See Rule 290-3-3-.03 (College and University Requirements).
   2. b. A valid bachelor’s- or master’s-level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or a valid master’s-level certificate in another area of instructional support. If an individual is unconditionally admitted to an Alabama Class A program based on a valid professional educator certificate in another state, completes a Class A program, and subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class A level, then the individual must hold at least a valid Class B Alabama Professional Educator Certificate before applying for Class A certification.
   3. c. Experience: One year of full-time, acceptable professional educational work experience
5. 5. A Survey of Special Education course is required if not previously completed. The course may not be older than 10 years unless the candidate has teaching experience within the last 5 years, or he/she used the course for prior level certification.
6. 6. Successful completion of an internship. For fields other than instructional leadership, speech pathology, and school counseling, internship experiences may be integrated throughout the program.
7. 7. Except for Speech-Language Pathology, at least a valid Class B Professional Education Certificate in a teaching field, or a Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or in another area of instructional support or a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate.
8. 8. Institutions with Class A Educator Preparation Programs that have accreditation visits scheduled Fall 2025 and thereafter must meet the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards for advanced programs.

9. 9. Requirements for Class A Certification for Instructional Support Personnel for Teachers. Readiness to serve on the Class A level as an instructional support person shall include:

   1. a. At least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate.
   2. b. An official transcript from an accredited institution documenting an earned master’s degree.
   3. c. A Survey of Special Education course is required if not previously completed. The course may not be older than 10 years unless the candidate has teaching experience within the last 5 years, or he/she used the course for prior level certification.
   4. d. Satisfactory completion of an educator preparation program approved by the Alabama State Board of Education with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on all courses in the program.
   5. e. Successful completion of an internship.
10. 10. Testing for Class A Certification for Instructional Support Programs. Applicants for initial Class A certification in an instructional support area must meet the requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification.
11. 11. Interim Employment Certificate. An Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) allows a superintendent or administrator to employ an applicant who is completing requirements for initial Class A certification in some instructional support areas through a State-approved Class A program at an Alabama institution. Additional information, including requirements and restrictions is provided in the current Educator Certification Chapter (290-3-2) of the Alabama Administrative Code.

12. 12. Faculty.

    1. a.  The faculty must include at least one full-time person who meets faculty qualifications in Rule 290-3-3-.03 (College and University Requirements) unless specified otherwise in other Rules.
    2. b.  The faculty who teaches professional education courses or supervise field experiences, practica, or internships in the teaching field shall have recent experiences in the subject matter and at the grade level of the certification.

Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§16-3-16, 16-23-14, and 16-39-5.

Editor’s Note: Previous Rule .30 was renumbered .33 per certification published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021.

History: New Rule: December 19, 1978. Amended: December 13, 1990; effective February 1, 1991. Repealed and Replaced: January 9, 1997; effective February 13, 1997; operative July 1, 1997. Repealed and New Rule: Filed September 11, 2003; effective October 16, 2003. Repealed and New Rule: Filed July 13, 2004; effective August 17, 2004. Repealed and New Rule: April 14, 2005; effective May 19, 2005. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 6, 2007; effective September 10, 2007. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 3, 2009; effective September 7, 2009; operative October 1, 2009. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 13, 2015; effective September 17, 2015. Amended: Filed September 13, 2018; effective October 28, 2018; operative June 1, 2019. Amended: Published August 31, 2020; effective October 15, 2020. Repealed and New Rule: Published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021. Repealed and New Rule: Published March 31, 2025; effective May 15, 2025.