Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Announces New Flexibilities to Educator Licensing in Montana

• Dennison Rivera
• January 13 2022

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen delivered her recommendations to revise Educator Licensing to the Board of Public Education (BPE). The recommendations of rule changes focused on maximizing the selection, preparation, and retention of teachers without diminishing quality education in the classroom.

Guiding principles aligned to the vision and mission included:

• Outlining licensure requirements that certify quality Montana educators
• Providing rules that protect students from educators who have been found unfit
• Supporting the career-long development and skill enhancement of Montana educators
• Ensuring that all Montana educators have the basic knowledge to honor the Indian Education for All requirement and integrate it into their practice
•  Honoring the purpose of certification that supports and does not impede the role of local trustees and communities to recruit, select, retain, and enhance educators

“I applaud the great work of the Montanans that gathered to aid in these recommendations. I encourage our Montana parents, teachers, and community leaders to review these flexible changes that demand quality education in our Montana public schools,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “As State Superintendent, I am firmly committed to the future of our children.”

The review and research of current teacher licensing rules began in November of 2020. There was a 24-member task force and feedback group consisting of Montana educators and leaders representing rural, urban, and native populations. The Superintendent reviewed, strengthened, and accepted the recommendations from the task force. Today the BPE authorized the publishing of these recommendations for a public hearing that will be held on February 24^th. Written public comment will be accepted through April 8^th, with the conclusion at the May 12th and 13^th BPE meeting. The proposed effective date of the rules will be May 27, 2022.

Specific recommendations include:

• Reduce recent credit requirements and offer options in lieu of additional college or university coursework or credits.
• Reduce required years of experience and refine required evidence of effectiveness (e.g., use objective measures of “successful experience” like a satisfactory evaluation rather than a supervisor/employer recommendation).
• Expand licensure eligibility for candidates with advanced credentials (e.g. National Board Certification).
• Treat traditional and alternative educator preparation pathways more equally for licensure purposes.
• Revise or allow more flexibility within licensure endorsement areas. For example, allowing specific content-area endorsement holders to teach beyond their endorsement areas may help address teacher shortages, particularly in rural schools.  (e.g., a history endorsement holder to teach a government course, without having to go back to college to obtain a “Broadfield Social Studies or government endorsement).

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