Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 166 - Teachers and Superintendents
Section 10-146c. - Reciprocity agreements, interstate agreements and recognition statement to facilitate educator certification.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or territories or possessions of the United States; and
(2) “Educator preparation program” means a program designed to qualify an individual for certification as an educator provided by institutions of higher education or other providers, including, but not limited to, an alternate route to certification program.
(b) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, as agent for the state shall enter into reciprocity agreements concerning educator certification reciprocity with the chief education officials for each state. If the commissioner is unable to establish a reciprocity agreement with another state, the commissioner may establish or join an interstate agreement pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
(c) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, as agent for the state shall establish or join interstate agreements with other states to facilitate the certification of qualified educators from other states. Any such interstate agreement shall include provisions requiring candidates for certification to, at a minimum, (1) hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, (2) have fulfilled post-preparation assessments as approved by the commissioner, and (3) have successfully completed an approved educator preparation program. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 10-145b and 10-145f, the State Board of Education shall issue the appropriate certificate to any applicant, based on such applicant's qualifications, who satisfies the requirements of the appropriate interstate agreement.
(d) If the commissioner is unable to establish or join a reciprocity agreement or an interstate agreement with another state, the commissioner may create and make available a recognition statement that specifies the states, assessments and educator preparation programs that the commissioner will recognize for purposes of issuing certification under sections 10-145b and 10-145f.
(e) Not later than January 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a progress report on the development and implementation of reciprocity agreements and interstate agreements and any recommendations for legislation to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
(1969, P.A. 269, S. 1; June 19 Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-1, S. 7; P.A. 15-108, S. 2; P.A. 16-41, S. 9; P.A. 19-74, S. 2.)
History: June 19 Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-1 replaced provisions re Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnel with provision authorizing commissioner to establish or join interstate agreements to facilitate educator certification, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 15-108 replaced “may” with “shall” re establishing or joining interstate agreements, added provision re out-of-state educators, replaced provision re fulfill assessment requirements approved by state board with provision re fulfill post preparation assessments approved by commissioner and taught under certificate issued by another state, and added provision re issuance of initial educator certificate, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 16-41 designated existing provisions re commissioner or designee to establish or join interstate agreements as Subsec. (b) and amended same by designating existing provisions re bachelor's degree as Subdiv. (1) and designating existing provisions re post-preparation assessments as Subdiv. (2), adding Subdiv. (3) re successful completion of approved educator preparation program and making technical and conforming changes, added Subsec. (a) re definitions of “state” and “educator preparation program”, and added Subsec. (c) re recognition statement, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 19-74 added new Subsec. (b) re reciprocity agreements, redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (c) and (d), amended redesignated Subsec. (c) by deleting “professional”, amended redesignated Subsec. (d) by adding “a reciprocity agreement or” and deleting “professional”, and adding Subsec. (e) re progress report re development and implementation of reciprocity and interstate agreements, effective July 1, 2019.

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