16 NCAC 06C .0307         LICENSE RENEWAL

(a)  Licenses shall be valid for a period of five years from the effective date of issuance. Holders must renew their licenses within each five-year period. The Department shall apply license renewal credit to the person's license field(s) and professional duties.

(b)  The Department shall base renewal or reinstatement of a license on 15 units of renewal credit. A unit of credit shall be equal to one quarter hour or two-thirds of a semester hour of IHE college or university credit, 10 hours of professional development, or one school year of teaching experience.

(c)  Effective July 1, 2007, school administrators shall earn at least five renewal credits during each renewal cycle that focus on the principal's role in teacher effectiveness, teacher evaluations, teacher support programs, teacher leadership, teacher empowerment, and teacher retention.

(d)  Currently employed personnel shall maintain an individual growth plan. These persons may obtain renewal credit for the following activities:

(1)           college or university credit;

(2)           teaching experience (one unit for each year);

(3)           earning National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification or completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process, which shall result in fifteen units of renewal credit;

(4)           completing National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification renewal, which shall result in five units of renewal credit;

(5)           completion of activities that meet the following criteria based upon one unit of renewal credit per 10 clock hours:

(A)          the activity shall be delivered in a minimum of 10 clock hours over time with on-the-job application, feedback, and follow-up;

(B)          the activity shall have identified goals and objectives that are designed to increase knowledge or skills in the person's license area or job assignment;

(C)          the activity shall include focused content and instruction that are sequenced to develop specified competencies of a specific population;

(D)          the activity shall be conducted by instructional personnel approved by the sponsoring school unit or employer; and

(E)           the activity shall include a focused evaluation designed to gauge the change in learner knowledge or skill and to guide the development of future programs;

(6)           independent study of no more than five units of renewal credit per five-year renewal period which meets the following criteria:

(A)          teachers and other licensed personnel help to develop local independent study procedures which the superintendent shall keep on file and periodically send to each licensed employee; and

(B)          the employee and the superintendent or his or her designee shall plan the experience in advance, including identification of competencies to be acquired and an evaluation to determine satisfactory achievement of those competencies.

(e)  LEAs and governing boards of schools shall assure that all local courses, workshops and independent study activities which do not carry IHE credit meet the standards contained in this Rule.

(f)  LEAs may develop an alternative license renewal plan that is competency-based and results-oriented. The plan must describe the connection among professional development, the school improvement plan, and the individual's license area or job responsibilities through processes such as peer review and annual evaluation.  The plan may waive specific hour requirements that a licensed employee must meet and focus instead on knowledge and skill acquired by participants. The plan must include outcome measures and must be submitted to the Department for review in advance of its implementation.

(g)  LEAs must adopt a procedure to determine the appropriateness of credit in advance of renewal activities.  In determining appropriateness the LEA must consider direct relationship to critical job responsibilities, school improvement plans, and SBE strategic priorities to properly establish credit for the activity. Each LEA must report on participation in and effectiveness of professional development to the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards Commission on an annual basis.

(h)  Persons who hold a North Carolina license but who are not currently employed in the public schools or by governing boards of nonpublic schools may earn renewal credit in college or university credit activities, or local courses and workshops on the same basis as currently employed persons.  The Department shall evaluate the appropriateness of the credits based on their direct relationship to the license field, the suitability of the content level, and the requirements set out in Paragraph (d) of this Rule.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 115C‑12(9)(a); N.C. Constitution, Article IX, s. 5;

Eff. July 1, 1986;

Amended Eff. January 2, 2006; August 1, 2000; January 2, 1998; July 1, 1994; December 1, 1991.