Section 4.04.212. Objective uniform standards.

	(a)  An elementary teacher who was employed as a teacher before July 1, 2002, will be considered highly qualified under 4 AAC 04.210 if the district that employs the teacher determines, on a form prepared by the department, that the teacher qualifies to receive 100 points on the following measures:  
		(1) five points per year of teaching elementary school, up to a maximum of 50 points;  
		(2) 10 points for holding an endorsement in elementary education under 4 AAC 12.395;  
		(3) 10 points for having a posted minor from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;  
		(4) 10 points for completion of a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;  
		(5) three points per semester credit hour or equivalent, earned  
			(A) after completion of a teacher education program accepted under 4 AAC 12.305;  
			(B) in education or in a subject that is taught in elementary school; and  
			(C) from regionally accredited institutions of higher education;  
		(6) five points for having passed the former National Teachers Examination: Teaching Area Examination in the Elementary School when it was still administered;  
		(7) five points for each documented participation in a qualified professional development activity related to elementary education, whether as an instructor, presenter, or participant;  
		(8) five points for each documented qualified service activity in elementary education;  
		(9) five points for each documented qualified award, grant, presentation, or publication related to elementary education;   
		(10) five points for fluency in a language other than English;  
		(11) if the teacher teaches kindergarten or first, second, or third grade, 100 points for obtaining certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as an early childhood generalist;  
		(12) if the teacher teaches third, fourth, fifth, or sixth grade, 100 points for obtaining certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as a middle childhood generalist.  
	(b)  A high school or middle school teacher who was employed as a teacher before July 1, 2002, will be considered highly qualified in a core academic subject under 4 AAC 04.210 if the district that employs the teacher determines, on a form prepared by the department, that the teacher qualifies to receive 100 points on the following measures:  
		(1) five points per year of teaching the subject, up to a maximum of 50 points;  
		(2) 10 points for holding an endorsement in the subject under 4 AAC 12.395;  
		(3) 10 points for having a posted minor in the subject from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;  
		(4) 10 points for completion of a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;  
		(5) three points per semester credit hour or equivalent, earned  
			(A) after completion of a teacher education program accepted under 4 AAC 12.305;  
			(B) in a subject that relates to teaching the subject for which the teacher seeks designation as highly qualified; and  
			(C) from regionally accredited institutions of higher education;  
		(6) five points for having passed the former National Teachers Examination in the subject when that examination was still administered;  
		(7) five points for each documented participation in a qualified professional development activity related to the subject, whether as an instructor, presenter, or participant;  
		(8) five points for each documented qualified service activity in the subject;  
		(9) five points for each documented qualified award, grant, presentation, or publication related to the subject;   
		(10) five points for fluency in a language other than English.  
	(c)  Teacher in-service training activities for which points may be received under (a) or (b) of this section may account for no more than 10 points under (a) or (b) of this section. To be considered under (a)(7) or (b)(7) of this section as a qualified professional development activity, a teacher in-service training activity must have   
		(1) been for more than one day;  
		(2) provided information or skills related to classroom instruction;  
		(3) been taught by a person who held credentials to instruct the professional development;  
		(4) required the teacher to study or participate outside the time set aside for the in-service training activity; and  
		(5) resulted in a certificate or other documentation that certified that the participant had obtained significant professional development.  
	(d)  In tabulating points under (a) and (b) of this section, a course, service, activity, presentation, award, publication, grant, teacher in-service training activity, or other event may not be counted more than once for a content area.   
	(e)  In this section,  
		(1) "qualified award or grant" means an award or grant that is widely recognized by professional educators in the state as an acknowledgement of a teacher's high achievement, and that is given by an organization to the teacher, or the teacher's school on behalf of the teacher or for use by the teacher in the teacher's classroom; "qualified award or grant" includes  
			(A) being a state finalist for or recipient of the National Science Foundation's Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching;   
			(B) being a finalist for or recipient of the State Teacher of the Year award administered by the Council of Chief State School Officers;  
			(C) receiving the district teacher of the year award;  
			(D) receiving or being a nominee for the British Petroleum Teacher of Excellence award; and  
			(E) receiving the Milken Family Foundation National Educator award;  
		(2) "qualified presentation" means a presentation of at least 30 minutes duration about educational issues to a public or private organization;  
		(3) "qualified professional development activity" means an event, sponsored by a government agency or a recognized professional organization, that was held to improve the quality of teaching and education; "qualified professional development activity" includes  
			(A) service on a committee that developed, selected, or evaluated content or performance standards or a curriculum;  
			(B) service on a committee that aligned local content standards with state standards;  
			(C) service on a committee that developed, validated, or evaluated content or performance assessments;  
			(D) attendance at a regional, state, or national professional educator conference, seminar, or workshop; and  
			(E) completion of the requirements for certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, even if certification was not awarded;  
		(4) "qualified publication" means writing an academic article or book of more than 700 words that is published for distribution outside the district for which the teacher works; "qualified publication" does not include a letter to the editor or opinion piece; "qualified publication" includes  
			(A) an article published in a regional, state, or national journal; and  
			(B) a contribution to or writing of a published textbook;  
		(5) "qualified service activity" means a service provided to other educators in a leadership or mentor capacity; "qualified service activity" includes service as   
			(A) a department chair or team leader;  
			(B) a mentor teacher or the cooperating teacher for a student teacher;  
			(C) an officer or director of a regional, state, or national professional content organization;  
			(D) an instructor at an institute of higher education; or  
			(E) a fellow in the Alaska Science Consortium, Alaska Math Consortium, Alaska Geographic Alliance, or Alaska State Writing Consortium.  
	(f)  Repealed 10/31/2008.  
	(g)  A teacher meets the high objective uniform standard for high school or middle school special education teachers of multiple subjects if the district that employs the teacher determines, on a form prepared by the department, that the teacher qualifies to receive at least 50 points under (b) of this section, for each subject area taught. In making this determination, a district  
		(1) may award no more than 25 points under (b)(1) of this section for each subject area; and  
		(2) must require that at least five points be awarded under (b)(5) of this section for each subject area.  
	(h)  A teacher meets the high objective uniform standard for middle or high school teachers of multiple subjects if the district that employs the teacher determines, on a form prepared by the department, that the teacher qualifies to receive at least 50 points under (b) of this section, for each subject area taught by the teacher. A district does not need to make this determination for a subject area in which the teacher has already been determined to be highly qualified under a different provision of this chapter. In making this determination, a district  
		(1) may award no more than 25 points under (b)(1) of this section for each subject area; and  
		(2) must require that at least 18 points be awarded under (b)(5) of this section for each subject area.  
	(i)  A teacher obtaining points under (a), (b), or (h) of this section for the subject area of reading will receive 25 points for the subject area of reading if the teacher has successfully completed the Alaska Reading Course or has obtained a passing score on each of the assessments used in the Alaska Reading Course. In this subsection, the Alaska Reading Course is a department-developed, comprehensive K - 12 reading course approved by the commissioner.  

Authorities

14.07.060;14.20.020;14.50.080

Notes

Reference

4 AAC 04.210
4 AAC 12.305

Authority

AS 14.07.060 AS 14.20.020 AS 14.50.080 Editor's note: Information on national board certification may be obtained from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 1525 Wilson Blvd. Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22209, or at www.nbpts.org.

History

Eff. 6/13/2004, Register 170; am 9/25/2005, Register 175; am 1/19/2006, Register 177; am 5/20/2006, Register 178; am 9/20/2006, Register 179; am 2/9/2007, Register 181; am 7/25/2007, Register 183; am 10/31/2008, Register 188; am 10/16/2012, Register 204