S257 - 2026 Appropriations Act. (SL 2026-41)

• The testing requirements for admission to an educator preparation program.
• The requirement that a teacher must attempt to pass certain licensure examinations during the first year of licensure.

This section also allows a teacher with a limited license who has available growth data under the Education Value-Added Assessment System to convert the license to a continuing professional license if the teacher has a positive average growth score for two of the three most recent years.

Finally, the State Board of Education (SBE) must grant a continuing professional license to a teacher licensed or otherwise authorized to teach in a jurisdiction outside of the State if the teacher meets one of the following requirements:

• If the teacher is licensed in another state and meets both of the following criteria:
  • Has at least three years of teaching experience.
  • Is in good standing with the other state.
• If the teacher previously worked as a teacher in a foreign country and meets one of the following requirements:
  • Is licensed in a foreign country and is in good standing with that jurisdiction.
  • If license and good standing cannot be verified, then the teacher must have either (i) at least three years of teaching experience or (ii) been authorized to teach in a foreign country in the previous five years.

Local school administrative units can convert positions to dollar equivalents for visiting international faculty that are awarded continuing professional licenses if they meet these requirements.  The SBE must adopt rules to recognize teachers licensed outside of the State.  

The granting of continuing professional licenses to teachers licensed outside of the State became effective July 7, 2026, and applies to applications for continuing professional licenses on or after that date.  The remainder of this section became effective July 1, 2026.