CHAPTER 2. DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
IC 20-28-2
Chapter 2. Division of Professional Standards
IC 20-28-2-1
Department authority over teacher education, licensing, andprofessional development
Sec. 1. Except as provided in section 6 of this chapter, thedepartment has the sole authority and responsibility for governingteacher education and teacher licensing matters, includingprofessional development.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.136.
IC 20-28-2-1.5
Division of professional standards; established
Sec. 1.5. The division of professional standards is establishedwithin the department to administer the responsibilities of thedepartment described in section 1 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.246-2005, SEC.137.
IC 20-28-2-2
Advisory board; established; membership
Sec. 2. (a) The advisory board of the division of professionalstandards is established to advise the superintendent, the board, thedepartment, and the division on matters concerning teachereducation, licensing, and professional development. The advisoryboard consists of nineteen (19) voting members.
(b) Except as otherwise provided, each voting member of theadvisory board described in this subsection must be activelyemployed by a school corporation. Eighteen (18) members shall beappointed by the governor as follows:
(1) One (1) member must hold a license and be activelyemployed in a public school as an Indiana schoolsuperintendent.
(2) Two (2) members must:
(A) hold licenses as public school principals;
(B) be actively employed as public school principals; and
(C) be employed at schools having dissimilar grade levelconfigurations.
(3) One (1) member must:
(A) hold a license as a special education director; and
(B) be actively employed as a special education director in:
(i) a school corporation; or
(ii) a public school special education cooperative.
(4) One (1) member must be a member of the governing bodyof a school corporation but is not required to be activelyemployed by a school corporation or to hold an Indianateacher's license.
(5) Three (3) members must meet the following conditions:
(A) Represent Indiana teacher education units within Indiana
public and private postsecondary educational institutions.
(B) Hold a teacher's license but not necessarily an Indianateacher's license.
(C) Be actively employed by the respective teachereducation units.
The members described in this subdivision are not required tobe employed by a school corporation.
(6) Nine (9) members must be licensed and actively employedas Indiana public school teachers in the following categories:
(A) At least one (1) member must hold an Indiana standardearly childhood education license.
(B) At least one (1) member must hold an Indiana teacher'slicense in elementary education.
(C) At least one (1) member must hold an Indiana teacher'slicense for middle/junior high school education.
(D) At least one (1) member must hold an Indiana teacher'slicense in high school education.
(7) One (1) member must be a member of the businesscommunity in Indiana but is not required to be activelyemployed by a school corporation or to hold an Indianateacher's license.
(c) Each member described in subsection (b)(6) must be licensedand actively employed as a practicing teacher in at least one (1) ofthe following areas to be appointed:
(1) At least one (1) member must be licensed in specialeducation.
(2) At least one (1) member must be licensed in career andtechnical education.
(3) At least one (1) member must be employed and licensed instudent services, which may include school librarians orpsychometric evaluators.
(4) At least one (1) member must be licensed in social scienceeducation.
(5) At least one (1) member must be licensed in fine artseducation.
(6) At least one (1) member must be licensed in English orlanguage arts education.
(7) At least one (1) member must be licensed in mathematicseducation.
(8) At least one (1) member must be licensed in scienceeducation.
(d) At least one (1) member described in subsection (b) must bea parent of a student enrolled in a public preschool or public schoolwithin a school corporation in either kindergarten or any of grades 1through 12.
(e) The state superintendent shall serve as an ex officio votingmember of the advisory board. The state superintendent may makerecommendations to the governor as to the appointment of memberson the advisory board.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,
SEC.138; P.L.2-2007, SEC.213; P.L.234-2007, SEC.107;P.L.3-2008, SEC.117.
IC 20-28-2-3
Term of office
Sec. 3. The term of office for the appointed members of theadvisory board is four (4) years.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.139.
IC 20-28-2-4
Director of advisory board; secretary of professional standards
Sec. 4. The superintendent shall appoint the director of theadvisory board, who shall be known as the secretary of professionalstandards, from among the members of the advisory board for a termof one (1) year. A member may be reappointed to serve as directorfor subsequent terms.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.140.
IC 20-28-2-5
Reimbursement for expenses
Sec. 5. (a) Each member of the advisory board who is not a stateemployee is not entitled to the minimum salary per diem provided byIC 4-10-11-2.1(b). The member is, however, entitled toreimbursement for traveling expenses and other expenses actuallyincurred in connection with the member's duties, as provided in thestate travel policies and procedures established by the Indianadepartment of administration and approved by the budget agency.
(b) Each member of the advisory board who is a state employeeis entitled to reimbursement for traveling expenses and otherexpenses actually incurred in connection with the member's duties,as provided in the state travel policies and procedures established bythe Indiana department of administration and approved by the budgetagency.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.141.
IC 20-28-2-6
Adoption of rules; occupational experience awarded for instructorlicense in cosmetology
Sec. 6. (a) Subject to subsection (c) and in addition to the powersand duties set forth in IC 20-20-22 or this article, the advisory boardmay adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to do the following:
(1) Set standards for teacher licensing and for theadministration of a professional licensing and certificationprocess by the department.
(2) Approve or disapprove teacher preparation programs.
(3) Set fees to be charged in connection with teacher licensing.
(4) Suspend, revoke, or reinstate teacher licenses. (5) Enter into agreements with other states to acquire reciprocalapproval of teacher preparation programs.
(6) Set standards for teacher licensing concerning new subjectsof study.
(7) Evaluate work experience and military service concerningpostsecondary education and experience equivalency.
(8) Perform any other action that:
(A) relates to the improvement of instruction in the publicschools through teacher education and professionaldevelopment through continuing education; and
(B) attracts qualified candidates for teacher education fromamong the high school graduates of Indiana.
(9) Set standards for endorsement of school psychologists asindependent practice school psychologists under IC 20-28-12.
(10) Before July 1, 2011, set standards for sign languageinterpreters who provide services to children with disabilities inan educational setting and an enforcement mechanism for theinterpreter standards.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), an individual is entitled toone (1) year of occupational experience for purposes of obtaining anoccupational specialist certificate under this article for each year theindividual holds a license under IC 25-8-6.
(c) Before publishing notice of the intent to adopt a rule underIC 4-22-2, the advisory board must submit the proposed rule to thestate superintendent for approval. If the state superintendentapproves the rule, the advisory board may publish notice of the intentto adopt the rule. If the state superintendent does not approve therule, the advisory board may not publish notice of the intent to adoptthe rule.
(d) The advisory board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2,including emergency rules under IC 4-22-2-37.1, to establishprocedures to expedite the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement underthis article of a license or certificate of a person whose spouse serveson active duty (as defined in IC 25-1-12-2) and is assigned to a dutystation in Indiana. Before publishing notice of the intent to adopt apermanent rule under IC 4-22-2, the advisory board must complywith subsection (c).
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.142; P.L.2-2007, SEC.214; P.L.144-2007, SEC.18;P.L.12-2009, SEC.1; P.L.30-2010, SEC.2.
IC 20-28-2-7
Recommendations
Sec. 7. (a) The department may recommend to the generalassembly for consideration measures relating to the department'spowers and duties that improve the quality of teacher preparation orteacher licensing standards.
(b) The department shall submit to the general assembly beforeNovember 1 of each year a report:
(1) detailing the findings and activities of the department, the
division, and the advisory board; and
(2) including any recommendations developed under thischapter.
A report under this subsection must in an electronic format underIC 5-14-6.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.143.
IC 20-28-2-8
Advisory committees; expenditure of funds; budget
Sec. 8. (a) The department may, subject to approval by the budgetagency, do the following to administer the responsibilities of thedepartment described in section 2 of this chapter:
(1) Establish advisory committees the department determinesnecessary.
(2) Expend funds made available to the department accordingto policies established by the budget agency.
(b) The department shall comply with the requirements forsubmitting a budget request to the budget agency as set forth inIC 4-12-1, for funds to administer the responsibilities of thedepartment described in section 1 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.144.
IC 20-28-2-9
Orders
Sec. 9. IC 4-21.5 applies to orders issued by the department underthis chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.246-2005,SEC.145.
IC 20-28-2-10
Professional standards fund
Sec. 10. There is established the professional standards fund to beadministered by the department. The fund consists of fees collectedunder this chapter. Money in the fund does not revert to the stategeneral fund at the end of a state fiscal year.
As added by P.L.246-2005, SEC.146.
IC 20-28-2-11
Teacher recruitment and retention initiatives
Sec. 11. The department shall collaborate with nonprofit entities,the commission for higher education, and state educationalinstitutions to develop and implement initiatives focusing on therecruitment and retention of qualified educators fromunderrepresented populations. The initiatives should include, but arenot limited to, the following activities:
(1) Development of a recruitment plan for underrepresented andteacher shortage areas.
(2) Production of a web site as a communication tool that
provides resource information and scholarship opportunities.
(3) Development of a research agenda and network supportsystem at each state educational institution to remove barriersand address challenges faced by students of underrepresentedpopulations in order to recruit, retain, and graduate thesestudents.
As added by P.L.10-2009, SEC.1.