A. The department shall license instructional support providers, including educational assistants, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, recreational therapists, marriage and family therapists, interpreters for the deaf, diagnosticians and other service providers. The department may provide a professional licensing framework in which licensees can advance in their careers through the demonstration of increased competencies and the undertaking of increased duties.

B. The department shall provide by rule for the requirements for licensure of types of instructional support providers. If an instructional support provider practices a licensed profession, the provider shall provide evidence satisfactory to the department that the provider holds a current, unsuspended license in the profession for which the provider is applying to provide instructional support services. The instructional support provider shall notify the school district and department immediately if the provider's professional license is suspended, revoked or denied. Suspension, revocation or denial of a professional license shall be just cause for discharge or termination and suspension, revocation or denial of the instructional support provider license.

History: 1978 Comp., § 22-10A-17, enacted by Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 48; 2004, ch. 27, § 24.; 2009, ch. 217, § 2.

The 2009 amendment, effective June 19, 2009, in Subsection A, in the first sentence, after "recreational therapist", added "marriage and family therapist".

The 2004 amendment, effective May 19, 2004, changed "state department" to "department".