Superintendent Arntzen’s Innovative Teacher Licensing Rules Adopted with Flying Colors

• Brian O'Leary
• May 12 2022

HELENA – The Montana Board of Public Education (BPE) voted to finally adopt Superintendent Arntzen’s innovative, recommended changes to educator licensing. The BPE voted unanimously this afternoon during their monthly meeting, which was held at the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls.

“I thank the Board of Public Education for their support of all our Montana teachers through the adoption of my flexible recommendations to educator licensing rules,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “These innovative rules will maintain teacher quality while opening the door for the wider recruitment of educators in Montana and across the United States. Montana students’ futures are brighter because of the unanimous decision today.”

The transparent process of revising the Chapter 57 educator licensing rules began in November of 2020. This long and engaging two-year process included Montana educators and community leaders representing our state’s unique populations. The recommended revisions were open for public comment through the Montana Administrative Procedure Act (MAPA) process. The flexible licensing revisions will be submitted to the Secretary of State for publication in Montana Administrative Register, at which point they will become effective.

Some of the flexible licensing revisions include:

• Creating pathways to allow an educator to add additional endorsements to their license
• Defining military dependent to include in licensure reciprocity for military spouses and dependents
• Defining approved educator preparation program, as an umbrella term for traditional and alternate educator preparation programs
• Returning the unusual cases authority to the State Superintendent
• Keeping the words “credible source” as a rule to ensure members of the public are able to file a complaint about official misconduct
• Expanding pathways to licensing beyond the Praxis including GPA, portfolio, and experience
• Increasing access for expired licensees to reenter the classroom
• Increasing career technical educators by accepting diverse degrees, allowing associate degrees, and work experience equivalencies
• Allowing school counselors to pursue administrative licenses
• Recognizing licenses for nationally board-certified teachers

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