ODE proposes amendments to rules on licenses for substitutes and alternative resident educators
The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently filed a set of rule amendments related to temporary licenses. In part, the changes proposed by ODE are based on legislative amendments and on feedback from school districts. Among the key rule amendments are:
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Admin. Code Sec. |
Topic |
Key revisions proposed |
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Temporary and substitute licenses |
Extends the time period a short-term substitute teacher is permitted to teach in a classroom from five days to 60 days, and requires an individual with a long-term substitute license for periods longer than 60 days. |
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Alternative resident educator license for teaching in grades kindergarten to 12 |
Incorporates requirements for all alternative resident educator licenses (except career-technical workforce development programs) into one rule. ODE is proposing rescinding two current rules on this topic—Ohio Administrative Code 3301-24-20 and -21. |
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Alternative resident educator license for career-technical workforce development programs |
Incorporates requirements for an individual teaching career-technical workforce development courses under an alternative resident educator license as amended by Senate Bill 3, effective March 16, 2017. |
More information about these and other proposed ODE rule amendments is available in this Joint Commission on Agency Rule Review report. If you have comments or questions about the proposed rules, a public hearing on them is scheduled for Monday, September 18, 2017, at 8:00 AM. The hearing will be held in Room 102 at ODE, 25 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Hiring substitute educational assistants without permits or licenses
Another recent licensure change is contained in House Bill 49, which is effective Sept. 29. The bill amends RC 3319.088, and permits school districts to hire and pay substitute educational assistants who do not currently hold educational aide permits or paraprofessional licenses.
The new language provides that a person may serve as a substitute for an educational assistant who is absent due to illness or on a leave of absence or to fill a temporary position created by an emergency. A person can serve as an unlicensed substitute educational assistant for up to 60 days when the:
- Person already filed an application with the state board for an educational aide permit or paraprofessional license;
- Superintendent believes the person’s application materials indicate that the employee is qualified to obtain the permit or license; and
- Person has undergone a criminal records check.
The person must stop working as an unlicensed substitute educational assistant if the application has not been approved after 60 days. The person also must stop working as an unlicensed substitute when the application is denied or he or she files a valid permit or license with the superintendent.