CHAPTER 64

HB 654 - FINAL VERSION

9Mar2023... 0338h

2023 SESSION

23-1052

10/04

HOUSE BILL 654

AN ACT relative to the one-year certificate of teaching eligibility.

SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5; Rep. O. Ford, Rock. 3; Rep. Myler, Merr. 9; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Watters, Dist 4

COMMITTEE: Education

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ANALYSIS

This bill allows for a school board to extend the one year certificate of eligibility for teaching for a second year. The bill requires that the professional codes of ethics and conduct apply to the one-year certificates.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

9Mar2023... 0338h 23-1052

10/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT relative to the one-year certificate of teaching eligibility.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

64:1 School Districts; Teaching Certification; One-year Certificate of Eligibility. Amend RSA 189:39-b to read as follows:

189:39-b One-Year Certificate of Eligibility.

I. The local school board, in consultation with the superintendent, may offer a one-time[, one year] certificate of eligibility, for a one-year period which may be extended by the local school board for a second consecutive year, to any person interested in [teaching] employment as an educator on a full-time or part-time basis, without requiring a person to possess [a teaching credential, teaching license, or other teaching certification] an educator credential provided that such person:

(a) Possesses at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited postsecondary institution.

(b) Is subject to a criminal history records check pursuant to RSA 189:13-a.

I-a. The provision of subparagraph I(a) shall not apply to an individual applying to teach a course in a CTE specialty area.

II. The school board, with input from the superintendent, shall formulate the terms of the certificate of eligibility which shall contain no tenure provisions.

III. The department of education shall be notified of the issuance of all certificates of eligibility within 30 days of the date of issuance.

III-a. The professional code of ethics and the professional code of conduct shall apply to all individuals possessing a certificate of eligibility under this section.

IV. Any person who has had [a teaching] an educator credential, [teaching] educator license, or other [teaching] educator certification revoked under RSA 189:14-c or RSA 189:14-d, or who has been rendered ineligible to be employed as [a teacher] an educator under another provision of law, shall not be eligible [to teach] under this section.

V. No person shall be offered more than one certificate of eligibility under this section.

64:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 01, 2023

Effective Date: July 31, 2023