Bill Text: CT SB00384 | 2012 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Teacher Preparation.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2012-06-15 - Signed by the Governor [SB00384 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2012-SB00384-Chaptered.html
Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
AN ACT CONCERNING TEACHER PREPARATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2012) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education and The University of Connecticut, shall study issues concerning teacher preparation, including, but not limited to, requiring (1) every student enrolled in a program of teacher preparation leading to a professional certificate to (A) spend a minimum number of hours student teaching, beginning in the student's first year in such program and continuing every year thereafter that such student is enrolled in such program, including, but not limited to, a certain number of hours working with special education and gifted students, and (B) complete coursework concerning parental involvement in a child's education and cultural issues that may affect a student's learning environment, (2) any candidate entering such a program of teacher preparation to possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3. 00, (3) any candidate entering such a program of teacher preparation to meet the requirements of the academic program in the subject area in which such student plans to teach, and (4) each institution of higher education offering such a program of teacher preparation to annually provide each candidate in such program with information regarding subject and geographic areas in which a teacher shortage exists, as determined by the Commissioner of Education in accordance with section 10-8b of the general statutes, and encourage each such candidate to take teaching jobs in such subject and geographic areas. Not later than April 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall report on such study and deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations regarding such issues to the Department of Education, the Board of Regents for Higher Education, The University of Connecticut and, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education.