Certification Standards For Professional-Technical Educators

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

034. CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION (3-16-04)

Teachers of professional-technical classes or programs in secondary or post-secondary schools must hold an endorsement in an appropriate occupational discipline. This endorsement may be held on a Secondary Teaching Certificate or on an Occupational Specialist Certificate. For postsecondary instructors and administrators, certification fees are set by the State Board for Professional-Technical Education, and application processes are managed by the Division of Professional-Technical Education.

PROCEDURE:

1. The following section outlines standards, policy and procedures for certification as a professional-technical educator in Idaho. Persons employed to teach/direct reimbursable professional-technical classes or programs in secondary or postsecondary schools are required to hold one of the following:

a. A Standard Secondary Certificate with endorsement in an appropriate occupational discipline;
OR
b. An Occupational Specialist Certificate in an appropriate occupational discipline. If an applicant does not meet the requirements for one of the certificates above, a current occupational teaching credential from another state may be endorsed for use in Idaho for up to three (3) years. After that period, Idaho standards for the certificate needed must be met. Employment agreements are valid only if the occupational educator holds the credential required for the assignment of service to be performed. Appeals regarding certification or the Code of Ethics as related to professional-technical educators may be directed to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission (PSC).

c. Applications for professional-technical education certification need to be sent to the State Department of Education, Certification/Professional Standards, and P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0027. Application forms and additional information is available by phone at (208) 334-3216; fax (208) 334-2365, or by accessing the following web address: www.pte.idaho.gov.

DEGREE-BASED PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

035. DEGREE-BASED PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION (3-16-04)

01. Teacher Preparation Through a Degree Program. Individuals graduating from an approved occupational teacher preparation degree program qualify to teach in the following five (5) disciplines: Agricultural Science & Technology; Business Technology Education; Family & Consumer Science; Marketing Technology Education; and Technology Education. Occupational teacher preparation coursework must meet the Idaho Standards for the Initial Certification of Professional School Personnel. The occupational teacher education program must provide appropriate content to constitute a major in the identified field. Student teaching shall be in an approved program and include experiences in the major field. Applicants shall have accumulated four thousand (4,000) clock-hours of related work experience or shall have completed an approved practicum in their respective field of specialization.

PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATE

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

035.02. Professional-Technical Administrator Certificate. The Professional-Technical Administrator Certificate is required for an individual serving as an administrator, director, manager or coordinator of professional-technical education at the state, secondary or postsecondary level. Individuals must meet the following prerequisites to qualify for the Professional-Technical Administrator Certificate. Equivalence in each area will be determined on an individual basis by the State Division of Professional-Technical Education. (3-16-04)

  1. Qualify for or hold an Occupational Specialist Certificate or hold an occupational endorsement on the secondary teaching credential;
  2. Provide evidence of a minimum of three (3) years' teaching in an occupational discipline;
  3. Hold a master's degree; and,
  4. Complete at least fifteen (15) semester credit hours of administrative coursework. Applicants must have completed: financial aspects of professional-technical education; administration of personnel; and legal aspects of professional-technical education. Additional coursework can be selected from any of the following areas:
    administration and supervision of occupational programs; instructional supervision; administration internship; curriculum development; curriculum evaluation; research in curriculum; school community relations; communication; teaching the adult learner; coordination of work-based learning programs; and/or measurement and evaluation.
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  5. To renew the Professional-Technical Administrator Certificate, individuals are required to complete six (6) semester credit hours of related coursework or meet renewal requirements for professional-technical teachers. (3-16-04)

WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

035.03. Work-Based Learning Coordinator Endorsement. Educators assigned to coordinate approved work-based experiences must hold the Work-Based Learning Coordinator endorsement. To be eligible, applicants must hold an occupational endorsement on the Standard Secondary Certificate or qualify for an Occupational Specialist Certificate, plus complete coursework in coordination of work-based learning programs. (3-16-06)

CAREER COUNSELOR

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

035.04. Career Counselor Endorsement. (3-16-04)

  1. The endorsement for a Career Counselor may be issued to applicants who hold a current Pupil Personnel Services Certificate endorsed Counselor K-12 and who have satisfied the following professional-technical requirements:
  2. Career Pathways and Professional-Technical Guidance;
  3. Principles/Foundations of Professional-Technical Education; and,
  4. Theories of Occupational Choice.

INDUSTRY-BASED PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

036. INDUSTRY BASED PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION (3-16-04)

Persons who need to hold the Occupational Specialist Certificate include: secondary educators assigned to Health Occupations Education and to Trades & Industry Education; specialized occupational areas where specific degree-granting, professional-technical teacher education programs do not exist; and postsecondary professional-technical educators who teach courses to 9-12 grade students.

01. General Requirements.
Applicants must: be eighteen (18) years of age; document full-time, successful, recent, gainful employment in the area for which certification is requested; possess either a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate; meet provisions of Idaho Code; and, verify technical skills through work experience, certification or testing as listed below. When applicable, requirements of occupationally related state agencies must also be met. Since educational levels and work experiences vary, applicants may be determined highly qualified under any one (1) of the following three (3) options.

  1. Have sixteen thousand (16,000 hours) of full time, successful, recent, gainful employment in the occupation for which certification is requested. Up to forty-eight (48) months' credit can be counted toward the eight (8) years on a month to month basis for journeyman training and/or postsecondary training successfully completed as a full time student in an approved/approvable, postsecondary, professional-technical education program.
  2. Have a bachelor's degree in the specific occupation or related area, plus six thousand (6,000-) hours of full time, successful, recent, gainful employment in the occupation.
  3. Meet one (1) of the following:

1. Have at least journeyman level plus two (2) years of recent, full-time, gainful, related work experience. A person who has completed a formal apprenticeship program in the occupation or related area for which certification is requested.

The apprenticeship must be under the direction of an employer and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or an approved State Apprenticeship Agency;

OR

1. Pass approved state or national certification/certification examination plus three (3) years of recent, full-time, gainful, related work experience (length and type of work experience in emergency services and health professions will be determined on an individual basis);
OR
3. Pass approved industry-related certification for skill level requirements (vendor and industry specific) plus three (3) years of recent, full-time, gainful, related work experience (length and type of work experience in emergency services and health professions will be determined on an individual basis). If no competency assessment exists, a written recommendation from a representative occupational advisory council/committee and recorded in its minutes is required to verify occupational competence.

LIMITED OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALIST CERTIFICATE

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

036.02. Limited Occupational Specialist Certificate. This certificate is issued to individuals who are new to teaching trades and health occupations in public schools. The certificate is valid for three (3) years. (3-16-04)

Within the first eighteen (18) months of certification, the holder must:

  1. Complete either a pre-service workshop sponsored by the State Division of Professional-Technical Education or an approved course in professional-technical methods/student assessment.
  2. Complete a new-teacher induction workshop at the state or district level.
  3. File a Professional Development Plan with the State Division of Professional-Technical Education.
  4. Within the three (3)-year period of the Limited Occupational Specialist Certificate, the instructor must satisfactorily complete coursework which includes competencies in four (4) of the following: Principles/Foundations of Occupational Education; Career Pathways and Guidance; Analysis, Integration and Curriculum Development; Measurement and Evaluation; and Methods of Teaching Occupational Education.

STANDARD OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALIST CERTIFICATE

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

036.03. Standard Occupational Specialist Certificate.

This certificate is issued to individuals who have completed coursework equivalent to that required of the Limited Occupational Specialist Certificate. The certificate must be renewed every five (5) years, which shall include completion of six (6) semester credit hours of approved coursework or verification of two hundred-forty (240) hours of approved related work experience or ninety (90) hours of attendance at approved technical conferences, institutes, or workshops or any equivalent combination thereof, and file a Professional Development Plan for the next certification period.

ADVANCED OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALIST CERTIFICATE

RULE: IDAHO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (IDAPA 08, TITLE 02, CHAPTER 02)

036.04. Advanced Occupational Specialist Certificate. This certificate is issued to individuals who meet all the requirements outlined below: (3-16-04)

  1. Meet the requirements for the Standard Occupational Specialist Certificate.
  2. Provide evidence of completion of a teacher training degree program or eighteen (18) semester credit hours of approved coursework in addition to the twelve (12) semester credit hours required for the Standard Occupational Specialist Certificate (a total of thirty (30) semester credits).
  3. File a new Professional Development Plan for the next certification period.
  4. This certificate must be renewed every five (5) years, which shall include completion of six (6) semester credit hours of approved coursework or submit verification of two hundred-forty (240) hours of approved related work experience or ninety (90) hours of attendance at approved technical conferences, institutes and workshops or any equivalent combination thereof, and file a new Professional Development Plan for the next certification period.