§302A-802 Licensing standards; policies. (a) The board shall establish licensing standards that govern teacher licensing in Hawaii. Licensing standards established by the board shall be adopted as rules under chapter 91 unless otherwise specified in this subpart.

(b) In the development of its standards, the board shall consider the existing teacher applicant pool that is available in the State and the level of the qualification of these applicants, as well as the nature and availability of existing preservice teacher training programs.

(c) The board shall adopt policies, exempt from chapters 91 and 92, to initiate the following:

(1) Develop criteria allowing more individuals with trade or industry experience to teach in vocational, technical, and career pathway programs, and criteria for the issuance of permits allowing qualified individuals to teach when recommended by the superintendent or the commission, when appropriate. The department or the commission, when appropriate, shall be responsible for the review and acceptance of the relevant licenses, certificates, or other qualifications related to an individual's vocational, technical, or career pathway education-related experience that the department or the commission, when appropriate, deems necessary for a permit. The department or the commission, when appropriate, shall have the authority to waive the requirement of a bachelor's degree to teach in a vocation, technical, or career pathway education program;

(2) Develop a plan to accept teachers from any state as long as they have completed state-approved teacher education programs and pass relevant Hawaii teacher examinations or their equivalent;

(3) Clarify the requirements, on a state-by-state basis, for out-of-state licensed teachers to obtain a license in Hawaii;

(4) Develop a plan to facilitate licensing for those who intend to teach in Hawaii immersion programs, the island of Niihau, or any other extraordinary situation as defined by the superintendent or the superintendent's designee, or by the commission, when appropriate; and

(5) Pursue full teacher license reciprocity with all other states. [L 1996, c 89, pt of §2; am L 2001, c 312, pt of §10, §13; am L 2002, c 16, §18; am L 2005, c 159, §12; am L 2006, c 226, §2; am L 2007, c 146, §2; am L 2014, c 39, §4]