ESOL Requirements for Teachers and School Based Administrators
All instructional and school-based administrative personnel must have approved ESOL training as defined in the following categories:
Category I
Consists of elementary education teachers, teachers of primary language arts/English, developmental language arts, intensive reading, and reading. These teachers must obtain an ESOL Endorsement by completing 15 semester hours or 300 in-service credit points. In the alternative a teacher with basic subject area coverage may obtain certification in K – 12 ESOL coverage by obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree in TESOL, or by achieving a passing score on the ESOL subject area test and earning 120 in-service credit points or 6 semester hours in ESOL.
Category II
Consists of teachers of math, science, social studies, and computer literacy. These teachers must complete 60 in-service credit points or 3 semester hours of approved ESOL training.
Category III
Consists of teachers and instructors of all other subjects not included in Categories I or II. These teachers must complete 18 in-service credit points or 3 semester hours of approved ESOL training.
Category IV
Consists of school-based administrators and guidance counselors. Category IV personnel must complete 60 in-service credit points or 3 semester hours of approved ESOL training.
Time requirements
- Instructional personnel and school-based administrators currently employed at the time of the adoption of this rule must complete the ESOL training requirements within 1 years of (date of adoption) with the exception of Category I teachers initially hired on or after July 1, 2014. These teachers have 4 years from July 1, 2014.
- Instructional personnel and school-based administrators hired after July 1, 2014 will be enrolled in ESOL training during NEO and must complete the ESOL training as follows:
- All Category I teachers must complete ESOL training requirements by the end of the fourth year of assignment to the category. Teachers must complete 120 in-service credit points of ESOL training in year one and 60 points each consecutive year until the ESOL endorsement or certification is complete regardless of ELL assignment.
- Category I teachers will be reported out-of-field while completing the ESOL endorsement.
- All Category II, III, and IV instructional or school-based administrative personnel must complete the ESOL training requirements by the end of the first year of assignment to the category.
- All professional personnel are responsible for completing required ESOL training, all personnel are responsible for submitting documentation of completed courses, completing the certification application, paying the necessary fees and submitting all to the Human Resources Department.
- Penalty - Failure to meet the requirements of this rule shall be deemed gross insubordination and willful neglect of duty and shall be just cause for termination of employment.