What does HEA 1002 do as it pertains to teacher licensing?
One provision of HEA 1002 requires 15 hours (or 1/6) of certain teachers’ 90 required professional-development hours to come from any of the following activities:
1. Professional development that gives schools and employers opportunities to partner in promoting career navigation;
2. Professional development that outlines current and future economic needs of the community, state, nation and world, and that outlines how to disseminate this information to students; or
3. Participating in an externship with a company.
This is not an addition to the number of professional-development hours for teachers. It just specifies the subject matter for 15 of the 90 hours that are already required over a five-year period.
Under the administrative rules governing teacher licensure, local school administrators decide what types of professional-development experiences count toward licensure renewal for the teachers they employ. That means each school will have local flexibility in implementing the professional-development requirement under HEA 1002.
Some examples include but are not limited to an online webinar, having a local employer come in to speak at the school building or career days in the classroom.
Why is this necessary?
Exposing students to the job opportunities in our communities is important if we want them to stay in Indiana and have successful careers. This language is simply meant to help reinforce that concept by encouraging collaboration between our local businesses and our schools.
Many schools and teachers are already working to implement ideas like this, and since local schools determine what will count toward the 15 PGP hours, many of the activities already going on in this regard should meet this requirement.
Where did this idea come from?
This language came to the legislature from a 2018 report from the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet (found here on page 6) as a result of the work of the Career Navigation and Coaching Action Team (put together by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet). The Career Navigation and Coaching Action Team included a representative of the Indiana Department of Education (DOE), a high school college and career readiness coordinator, a VP from Ivy Tech and representatives from the Commission for Higher Education.
During the legislative session, the language was considered in eight public hearings or meetings and was voted on six times. The bill passed both houses with Republicans and Democrats voting for it. Click here to view the various versions of the bill, votes and more.
How else is HEA 1002 helping Indiana’s Workforce?
HEA 1002 doesn’t only affect teacher professional development requirements. It also furthers Indiana’s workforce development goals with a number of innovative solutions recommended by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. This includes expanding the Workforce Ready Grant, which covers student costs to attend college classes leading to industry certificates, and giving local schools more flexibility in how they administer CTE courses and work-based learning opportunities for their students.
