Signed by Governor Eric Holcomb

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that establishes and requires teacher licenses for math and science courses.

Highlights:

• Requires the state board, no later than July 1, 2019, to adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to establish elementary school teacher content area licenses that include an elementary mathematics specialist license and an elementary mathematics teacher license or an elementary mathematics and science teacher license (Sec. 19).

• Establishes eligibility for an elementary mathematics specialist license to be based on (Sec. 19):

• Holding one or more of the following: 

• A valid early childhood education license;

• An elementary generalist license;

• A middle school mathematics license; or

• A secondary mathematics license;

• Having three years of successful teaching experience that includes teaching mathematics;

• Having completed graduate coursework in:

• Specialized content knowledge for teaching mathematics focused on number concepts and operations, proportional reasoning, algebra and functions, geometry and measurement, and data analysis and probability;

• Mathematics pedagogical content knowledge focused on teaching, learners and learning, and curriculum and assessment; and

• Leadership knowledge and skills; and

• Having finished a supervised practicum that includes working with a range of elementary student learners and elementary school teachers in various professional development settings.

• Establishes eligibility for an elementary mathematics teacher license to be based on (Sec. 19):

• Having completed coursework in the area of specialized content knowledge for teaching mathematics, including:

• Number concepts and operations;

• Proportional reasoning;

• Algebra and functions;

• Geometry and measurement; and

• Data analysis and probability;

• Having completed coursework in the area of pedagogical content knowledge in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field, focused on teaching, learners and learning, and curriculum and assessment; and

• Having finished a supervised practicum that includes working with a range of elementary student learners and elementary school teachers in various professional development settings.

• Establishes eligibility for an elementary mathematics and science teacher license to be based on (Sec. 19):

• Having completed coursework in the area of specialized content knowledge for teaching mathematics, including:

• Number concepts and operations;

• Proportional reasoning;

• Algebra and functions;

• Geometry and measurement; and

• Data analysis and probability;

• Having completed course work in the area of specialized content knowledge for teaching biology, chemistry, earth and atmospheric sciences, or physics;

• Having completed course work in the area of pedagogical content knowledge in at least one science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field, focused on teaching, learners and learning, and curriculum and assessment; and

• Having finished a supervised practicum that includes working with a range of elementary student learners and elementary school teachers in various professional development settings.

• Authorizes the department to develop an incentive program for assisting teachers who pursue a content area license and rewarding teachers who earn a content area license (Sec. 19).

Full Bill Text