1. PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY
   The purpose of this policy is to identify Weber School District’s LEA Specific Licensing/Endorsement Requirements pursuant to the conditions outlined by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE).  
   
   
2. POLICY 
   Weber School District’s policy is to create a LEA specific license and/or endorsement, allowing those applicants to work as a licensed educator in Weber School District, pursuant to the procedures outlined below. 
   
   
3. DEFINITIONS
   1. Associate Licensing Plan: A plan jointly developed by the District and Applicant outlining the requirements and steps to transition from a WSD LEA-specific license to an Associate’s License.
   2. Associate License: USBE issued license awarded upon completion of certain requirements set by USBE, and intended to convert to a Professional License upon further requirements as determined by a plan established by either USBE or WSD.
   3. Applicant: A person applying for a WSD LEA-specific license or endorsement.
   4. District Mentor: A trained educator who holds a professional educator license and/or performs substantially the same duties as an educator with released time to work as a mentor.
   5. Integrated Specialist Mentor:  A District appointed mentor to visit with and mentor first year teachers on a bi-monthly basis.
   6. LEA Licensed Educator:  An educator who has obtained their WSD LEA-Specific License.  
   7. Professional License:  USBE issued license to all educators completing a university educator preparation program or educators with an Associate License who have completed the requirements for a Professional License.  A Professional License will need to be renewed every five (5) years. 
   8. WSD LEA-Specific License: An educator license issued by WSD Board of Education that is acceptable as a valid teaching license only in WSD for a period of three (3) years, unless the educator petitions the State Board of Education for an extension of the LEA-specific license for up to two (2) years.
   9. WSD LEA-Specific Endorsement:  A temporary (3 year) authorization for an already licensed educator (LEA, Associate, or Professional) to teach a class for which the educator does not have the proper endorsements. Endorsement criteria are the same as those established by USBE. An LEA-Specific Endorsement allows a licensed educator to take three years to complete the endorsement while teaching the class that requires the endorsement.
      
      
4. EDUCATOR LICENSE AND ENDORSEMENT REQUIREMENTS
   1. To apply for a WSD LEA-Specific License, an Applicant must:
      1. Must be in a university based pathway program or have a bachelor’s or higher degree in a related field of study and complete the program within 3 years, or in the alternative, have exceptional or specialized occupational experience, training, or expertise directly related to the area of assignment; and
      2. Complete a criminal background check including review of any criminal offenses and clearance in accordance with Rule R277-214; and
      3. Complete the educator ethics review described in Rule R277-500 within one calendar year prior to the application; and
      4. Complete the following Professional Learning Modules (linked to the USBE web site):
         1. Educator ethics;
         2. Classroom management and instruction;
         3. Basic special education law and instruction; and
         4. Utah Effective Teaching Standards described in R277-530.
   2. To apply for a WSD LEA-Specific Endorsement, an Applicant must:
      1. Have a current valid educator license (WSD LEA Specific, Associate, or Professional), and
      2. Be recommended by an administrator.
   3. The District shall post requirements for LEA-Specific License, license areas, or endorsements on each school’s website. 
   4. An educator who has not obtained their Associate License by the end of the third year may not advance on the salary schedule.
   5. Educators holding an LEA license are provisional status.
   6. As per the Weber School District Educator Agreement, a provisional status of an educator can be extended two additional provisional years not to exceed five (5) years.
      
      
5. APPROVAL PROCESS
   1. An Applicant for a WSD LEA-Specific License or Endorsement must receive approval from the WSD Board of Education in a public meeting within 60 days of being hired at WSD.
      1. If the Board approves the Applicant for a WSD LEA-Specific License, the Applicant will be paid on a regular teacher salary schedule retroactively to date of hire.
      2. If the Board does not approve the application, the Applicant will be released from the position. 
   2. WSD Board considers the following factors when reviewing applications for a WSD LEA-Specific License or Endorsement:
      1. Rationale for the appointment of a WSD LEA Specific License or endorsement
      2. Verification that there is an inadequate supply of highly qualified and suitable licensed applicants in the license and endorsement area as demonstrated by posting the position for a reasonable period of not less than one week.  (Not required for less than half-time (<.5FTE applicants))
      3. An Applicant’s Associate Licensing Plan, if submitted by the Applicant.  (The Applicant’s Associate Licensing Plan is not a requirement, but may be submitted at the Applicant’s discretion.)
   3. LEA Licensed Educators serve under temporary (at-will) employment agreements, and are considered temporary employees, as defined by state law, and are subject to termination at any time at the sole discretion of the District.
   4. A WSD LEA-Specific License, license area, or Endorsement is valid for up to three (3) years subject to the following, as determined by WSD personnel:
      1. demonstration of adequate progress consistent with the Associate Licensing Plan;
      2. successfully implementing guidance from the Mentor; and
      3. recommendations of administration based on observations. 
   5. A WSD LEA-Specific License expires immediately if the educator’s employment with the District ends and the educator is not rehired as an educator in the next contract year. 
   6. The WSD Board may not authorize a WSD LEA-Specific License in the areas of Special Education or Preschool Special Education.
      
      
6. VI. WSD LEA Specific License Mentoring Program 
   1. An educator with a WSD LEA-Specific License must participate in the District mentoring program for all provisional teachers. 
      1. A District Mentor must have an active teaching license to mentor an LEA Licensed Educator. 
      2. Mentors will not evaluate the educator; however, all employees, including Mentors, must promptly report educator misconduct in violation of the District’s Code of Conduct found in Policy 7900 and Policy 7120, or the Utah Educator Standards found in Utah Administrative Rule R277-515.
   2. A Mentor will help the LEA Licensed Educator meet the Utah Effective Educator Standards established in Utah Administrative Rule R277-530 by:
      1. assisting the educator with a Self-Assessment (SA)
      2. working on educational strategies; and
      3. meeting regularly with the educator for observations,feedback and support.
   3. Mentors will receive regular mentor training at Mentor meetings throughout the school year.
      
      
7. ASSOCIATE AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING PLAN  
   1. The LEA Licensed Educator and the District will jointly develop an Associate Licensing Plan to:
      1. Encourage transition from a WSD LEA license to an Associate’s License and then to a Professional License. 
      2. Identify paths and opportunities to prepare for successful passage of a pedagogical performance assessment. 
      3. Identify applicable educational skill, and/or content knowledge requirements for enrollment in a qualified educator preparation program. 
      4. Develop significant competency and knowledge sufficient to justify an extension request from the Utah State Board of Education for a continued WSD LEA License if transition to an Associate License is not reasonable or applicable. 
   2. Once the LEA Licensed Educator has obtained an Associate License, the educator and the District will jointly develop a Professional Licensing Plan.

Approved June 2023