PURPOSE: The State Board of Education is authorized to grant certificates of license to teach in any of the public schools of the state and establish requirements and qualifications for those certificates. This rule outlines the classification of certificates of license to teach.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The publication of the full text of the material that the adopting agency has incorporated by reference in this rule would be unduly cumbersome or expensive. Therefore, the full text of that material will be made available to any interested person at both the Office of the Secretary of State and the office of the adopting agency, pursuant to section 536.031.4, RSMo. Such material will be provided at the cost established by state law.

1. (1) Certificates of license to teach are issued and renewed by the State Board of Education pursuant to the certification requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.

2. (2) Effective dates for initial certificates of license to teach, except for substitutes and adult education and literacy certificates of license to teach, are as follows:

   1. (A) June 1, when the application is received from May 1 through July 31;
   2. (B) August 15, when the application is received from August 1 through November 30; or
   3. (C) January 1, when the application is received from December 1 through April 30.

3. (3) If a certificate of license to teach is renewed, except for a substitute, the effective date of renewal will be the date of expiration of the certificate of license to teach, providing that the application for renewal and supporting materials are received by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) prior to or on the expiration date.

   1. (A) If the renewal of the certificate of license to teach is received by the department within eleven (11) months of the expiration date of the certificate or a shorter time if specified in the rules promulgated by the board, the effective date of renewal will be the certificate’s expiration date.
   2. (B) If an individual’s certificate of license to teach renewal is received after the certificate has expired for more than eleven (11) months or a shorter time if specified in the rules promulgated by the board, the individual must meet the current certification requirements as set forth in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule unless extenuating circumstances exist and the individual obtains the approval of the commissioner of education.

4. (4) Certificates of license to teach may be issued pursuant to the rules promulgated by the board, to individuals completing a stateapproved teacher preparation program, and/or a Ph.D. program in the following classifications:

   1. (A) Professional Classification I (PC I);
   2. (B) Professional Classification II (PC II); and/or
   3. (C) Continuous Professional Classification
5. (CPC) (Ph.D. applicants are ineligible to advance to the CPC level).

6. (5) Professional Classification I (PC I)—

   1. (A) A three (3) year PC I classification will be issued to applicants who meet the certification requirements and possess less than three (3) years of state-approved teaching experience.

   2. (B) During the valid dates of the PC I classification, the certificate holder shall complete the following requirements:

      1. 1. Verification of three (3) years of state-

approved teaching experience;

1. 2. Develop and implement a detailed

professional development plan, approved by the local board of education, to include clearly stated goals for improvement and enrichment;

1. 3. Participate in an entry-year mentor

program, the guidelines for which shall be established by the local board of education;

1. 4. Participate in a beginning teacher

assistance program from a Missouri college or university if the teacher education program was completed in a Missouri institution. The assistance may include retraining, internships, counseling and in-service training;

1. 5. Continue professional growth to

include thirty (30) clock hours of in-service training as defined in criteria established by the State Board of Education; and

1. 6. Participate in the district’s

Performance-Based Teacher Evaluations (PBTEs).

1. (C) If the holder of a PC I has not met the above-mentioned criteria for upgrade to a PC II, the certificate of license to teach may be extended once for three (3) years upon written request.

2. (D) Individuals who have not been employed in a school setting may renew their certificate upon a showing of good cause and the following:

   1. 1. Written request for renewal; and
   2. 2. Submission of an official transcript

showing six (6) semester hours appropriate to education from an approved college or university or upon completion of a masters degree in education or an area of certification.

1. (6) Professional Classification II (PC II) —

   1. (A) A seven (7) year PC II classification will be issued to:

      1. 1. Applicants who hold a PC I and pro-

vide documentation of completing all the requirements for advancement to this level of classification; or

1. 2. Applicants who meet the certification

requirements and have three (3) years of state-approved teaching experience.

1. (B) During the valid dates of the PC II classification, the certificate holder shall complete the following requirements:

   1. 1. An additional seven (7) years of state-

approved teaching experience;

1. 2. Implement or continue a detailed pro-

fessional development plan approved by the local board of education, to include clearly stated goals for continued improvement and enrichment;

1. 3. Earn twelve (12) semester hours,

other than internship credit, appropriate to teaching area(s) or toward a planned masters degree. The masters degree shall be in education or in an area of certification. An exception from this twelve (12)-hour requirement exists if the certificate holder has already earned a masters degree in education or in an area of certification;

1. 4. Continue professional growth to

include thirty (30) clock hours of in-service training as defined in criteria as established by the State Board of Education or serve as a mentor in the entry-year mentor program, the guidelines for which shall be established by the local board of education; and

1. 5. Participate in the district’s PBTEs.

2. (C) If the holder of a PC II has not met the above-mentioned criteria for upgrade to a CPC, the PC II may be extended once for three (3) years upon written request. Additional renewals for seven (7) years may be granted upon completion of the following:

   1. 1. An additional seven (7) years of state-

approved teaching experience;

1. 2. Continuation of a detailed profession-

al development plan approved by the local board of education, to include clearly stated goals for continued improvement and enrichment;

1. 3. Earning twelve (12) semester hours,

other than internship credit, appropriate to teaching area(s) or toward a planned masters degree. The masters degree shall be in education or in an area of certification. An exception from this twelve (12)-hour requirement exists if the certificate holder has already earned a masters degree in education or in an area of certification;

1. 4. Continuation of professional growth

to include thirty (30) clock hours of in-service training as defined in criteria as established by the State Board of Education or serve as a mentor in the entry-year mentor program, the guidelines for which shall be established by the local board of education; and

1. 5. Participation in the district’s PBTEs.

2. (D) Individuals who have not been employed in a school setting may renew their certificate upon a showing of good cause and the following:

   1. 1. Written request; and
   2. 2. Submission of an official transcript

showing six (6) semester hours appropriate to education from an approved college or university or upon completion of a masters degree in education or an area of certification.

1. (7) Continuous Professional Classification (CPC)—

   1. (A) A ten (10)-year CPC classification will be issued to:

      1. 1. Applicants who hold a PC II, provide

documentation of completing all the requirements for advancement to this level of classification and have completed a masters degree in education or an area of certification; or

1. 2. Applicants who have earned a masters

degree in education or an area of certification and have a minimum of ten (10) years of state-approved teaching experience.

1. (B) The CPC classification may be renewed an unlimited number of times.

1. (8) Any level of a Missouri professional classification shall be extended for a teacher whose service is interrupted due to a reduction in force (RIF) or military service.
2. (9) The local district and teacher shall submit, on an upgrade application form provided by DESE, a request for renewal of a particular classification level; verification that the teacher has completed the requirements of a particular classification level and/or the request for advancement to the next classification level.
3. (10) Any certificate holder denied certification by the board pursuant to this rule may appeal the decision pursuant to the rules promulgated by the board.
4. (11) Any certificate holder’s disagreement with the school district’s verification of requirements for the classification levels shall be dealt with through an appeal process developed by the school district’s local board of education.
5. (12) Approved teaching experience, as described in the rules promulgated by the board, must be in Missouri public schools, schools approved by the state education agency in states other than Missouri, or in nonpublic schools accredited by the National Federation of Nonpublic School State Accrediting Association, or one (1) of the six
6. (6) regional accrediting associations for schools and colleges, or by the University of Missouri-Columbia. Teaching experience must be contracted and at least half-time. Substitute teaching or serving as a teacher’s aide or assistant will not be counted as teaching experience.
7. (13) Provisional certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for two

8. (2) years and may be extended upon a showing of good cause. Provisional certificates of license to teach may be issued in the following situations:

   1. (A) The individual has completed the academic requirements for a certificate of license to teach, but has not taken or passed the exit assessment(s); or
   2. (B) The individual has completed a teacher preparation program and is generally within twelve (12) semester hours of completion of the certification requirements as set forth in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule.
9. (14) Administrator certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for five
10. (5) or ten (10) years and may be renewed pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.
11. (15) Pupil personnel services certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for five (5) or ten (10) years and may be renewed pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.
12. (16) Substitute certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for one (1) year pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification 5 CSR 80-800

Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.

1. (17) Vocational-technical certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for two (2) or five (5) years and may be renewed pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.
2. (18) Adult education and literacy certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for three (3) or ten (10) years and may be renewed pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.
3. (19) Special assignment certificates of license to teach may be issued to an individual for one (1) year and may be renewed pursuant to the requirements found in the Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule and the rules promulgated by the board.

AUTHORITY: sections 161.092, 168.011, 168.081, 168.400, 168.405 and 168.409, RSMo 1994 and 168.021 and 168.071, RSMo Supp. 1999.* Original rule filed April 26, 2000, effective Nov. 30, 2000. *Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973; 168.011, RSMo 1963, amended 1973; 168.021, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1998; 168.071, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1998; 168.081, RSMo 1963, amended 1984; 168.400, RSMo 1985, amended 1990; 168.405, RSMo 1985; 168.409, RSMo 1985.