§3622. Program components

A. Each participating teacher shall pursue activities in each of two categories, namely, in-service training and academic pursuits. Guidelines and criteria for acceptable activities shall be fixed by the state committee.

B. Acceptable academic activities shall be as follows:

(1) Relevant formal college courses, either at the undergraduate or graduate level, offered by an accredited institution of higher education. Classroom teachers shall enroll in courses in either their area of certification or job assignment, and all other participants in the program shall enroll in courses in the area of their job responsibility. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, classroom teachers in the program shall pursue formal college courses as follows:

(a) Beginning with plans approved for participation in the program year beginning July 1, 1984 and thereafter, elementary teachers shall pursue a minimum of two courses in the subject matter area in which they teach if they take four or five such courses and shall pursue a minimum of one course in the subject matter area in which they teach if they take three or less such courses, and the remainder of such courses may be teacher education courses.

(b) Each secondary classroom teacher who includes two such courses in his plan shall pursue both courses in the subject area in which he teaches, and neither such course shall be scheduled from among courses of or relating to pedagogy nor from among courses offered by any college of education.

(c) Each secondary classroom teacher who includes three such courses in his plan may pursue not more than one course from among courses of or relating to pedagogy, and two courses in his plan shall be in the subject matter area in which he teaches, provided that neither such course shall be scheduled from among the courses offered by any college of education.

(d) Each secondary classroom teacher who includes four such courses in his plan may pursue not more than two courses from among courses of or relating to pedagogy, and two courses in his plan shall be in the subject matter area in which he teaches, provided that neither such course shall be scheduled from among courses offered by any college of education.

(e) Each secondary classroom teacher who includes five or more courses in his plan may pursue not more than two courses from among those of or relating to pedagogy, and two courses in his plan shall be in the subject matter area in which he teaches, provided that neither such course shall be scheduled from among the courses offered by any college of education. The Local Professional Improvement Committee shall determine whether the remaining course or courses in his plan shall be in the subject matter area in which he teaches, shall be taken from among courses of or relating to pedagogy, or both.

(f) The subject matter area requirements established herein may be waived by the aforementioned committee for physical education and special education teachers and for any other teacher to the extent that courses of or relating to pedagogy were pursued or enrolled in prior to May 1, 1983, as a part of their approved professional improvement program plan.

(g) For the purposes of this Paragraph, "subject matter area in which they teach" is defined as any subject area being taught by the teacher or for which the teacher is certified. Also, for purposes of this Paragraph, "pedagogy" is defined as the art of teaching, science of teaching, or profession of teaching.

(h) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the state committee shall formulate guidelines for allowing classroom teachers to include in their program plans formal college courses not within their area of certification, job assignment, or responsibility, if successful completion of such courses will qualify such teacher to be certified to teach in another subject matter area or areas in which a critical shortage of qualified classroom teachers exists in the school system in which such teacher is employed. The bureau of higher education and teacher certification in the state Department of Education shall develop criteria and supply data for determining areas in which a critical shortage of qualified classroom teachers exists and the state and local committees shall use the criteria and data in approving plans of teachers seeking certification in such shortage areas.

(i) Beginning with the approval of programs for participation in the program year beginning July 1, 1984, any teacher seeking certification to qualify to teach in one of the identified areas of critical shortage as provided in Subparagraph (h) may elect to take in any program year a college course which moves him toward that certification in lieu of the inservice activity in addition to any other college courses he takes to satisfy the academic requirement. The substitution of college courses for inservice activities may continue until the teacher achieves certification.

(j) In cases in which a subject matter area course as required by this Subsection for inclusion in a teacher's five-year plan is not available and the teacher documents that no suitable existing or anticipated alternative course outside a college of education is available then the local committee, subject to the approval of the state committee, shall allow the teacher to substitute a course offered by a college of education for inclusion in the teacher's plan.

(k) Beginning with the approval of programs for participation in the program year beginning July 1st, 1985, in those accredited institutions of higher education operating on a semester system, any college course for which a teacher seeks academic activity credit shall actually meet and class shall be conducted for the amount of time as follows:

(i) For one semester hour of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted for a minimum of seven hundred and fifty minutes and shall meet and be conducted on at least five separate days for a minimum time of fifty minutes each day.

(ii) For two semester hours of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted for a minimum of fifteen hundred minutes and shall meet and be conducted on at least ten separate days for a minimum time of fifty minutes each day.

(iii) For three semester hours of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted for a minimum of two thousand two hundred and fifty minutes and shall meet and be conducted on at least fifteen separate days for a minimum time of fifty minutes each day.

(iv) For more than three semester hours of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted for a minimum of the number of minutes required for one semester hour of college credit multiplied by the number of semester hours of college credit being offered, shall meet and be conducted for the number of separate days required for one semester hour of college credit multiplied by the number of semester hours of college credit being offered, and shall meet for not less than fifty minutes per day, excluding breaks.

(l) Beginning with the approval of programs for participation in the program year beginning July 1st, 1985, in those accredited institutions of higher education operating on a quarter system, a course offering one, two, three, or more semester hours of college credit shall actually meet and class shall be conducted for the minimum total number of minutes required in R.S. 17:3622(B)(1)(k)(i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) above, respectively, and shall be conducted on no fewer than the number of days as follows:

(i) For one semester hour of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted on at least four separate days.

(ii) For two semester hours of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted on at least seven separate days.

(iii) For three semester hours of college credit, and for more than three semester hours of college credit, the course shall meet and be conducted on at least ten separate days.

(2) Supervision of students enrolled in a preservice teacher training curricula at an accredited institution of higher education.

(3) Preparation and conducting of workshops approved by the state committee and recognized professional organizations or public bodies as promulgated by the state committee.

(4) Development and implementation of innovative and exemplary programs.

C. Acceptable in-service training activities shall be as follows:

(1) Educational conferences by a public body, an accredited institution of higher education, a non-profit foundation, or a professional organization or association of recognized stature as promulgated by the statewide committee.

(2) Workshops approved by a local public school board or the department.

(3) Seminars sponsored by a public body, an accredited institution of higher education, a non-profit foundation, a professional organization or association of recognized stature promulgated by the state committee, or the department.

(4) Task forces whose purpose is to develop education programs.

(5)(a) Tutoring of students in public elementary or secondary schools who are determined by their regular teachers to be in need of tutoring.

(b) In providing for the inclusion of this component in an individual participant's plan, the state committee shall develop a listing of teachers whom it has determined are qualified to provide such tutoring in the various subject areas. No teacher who is not included on such listing may include tutoring as a component in his plan.

(c) The state committee shall determine the number of PIPS to be awarded for tutoring based on the amount of time spent by the participant in tutoring students.

(d) The number of PIPS awarded for tutoring shall be no fewer than one-fourth nor more than one-half of those PIPS required for in-service training activities.

(6) Subject to approval by the State Professional Improvement Committee, training by the personnel from the Substance Abuse Prevention Education Program in the Department of Education for participation in a Substance Abuse Prevention Team.

D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, no academic or in-service training activity shall be acceptable which requires educators to enter into any commitment beyond that required for completion of that academic or in-service training activity.

Added by Acts 1980, No. 207, §1, eff. July 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1981, No. 337, §1, eff. July 15, 1981; Acts 1982, No. 262, §1, eff. July 18, 1982; Acts 1982, No. 841, §1, eff. Aug. 4, 1982; Acts 1983, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 43, §1; eff. Jan. 19, 1983; Acts 1983, No. 414, §1; Acts 1983, No. 506, §1, eff. July 7, 1983; Acts 1984, No. 698, §1, eff. July 13, 1984; Acts 1985, No. 86, §1, eff. June 29, 1985.