584-070-0132 Emergency School Counselor License

Summary of Proposed Action: Amends emergency school counselor license. Clarifies conditions needed for an emergency license, clarifies terms of the license, and aligns provisions between the three emergency license areas: teaching, school counseling and administrator.

Background: The emergency licenses for Teaching, Administrators and School Counselors rules needed clarification and more uniformity between the rules. The amendments create an expiration date for licensure term as June 30 of the year in which the license was granted. The June 30 date will ensure that license do not expire mid-year. (Middle of the year licensure expirations can cause difficulties for school districts.) The amendments also add refinement to the definition of “emergency” and clarify that failure to meet renewal requirements does not constitute an emergency in most cases. The draft amendments also provide more specificity on the requirements and fees associated with emergency licenses. These changes will assist stakeholders and staff to facilitate the emergency license process.

Number of licenses: There are currently:

· 5 active Emergency School Counselors licenses

Fiscal Impact: N/A

Copy of Proposed Rule

584-070-0132

Emergency School Counselor License

(1) Upon filing a correct and complete an application and full fee in the form and manner required prescribed by the Commission, a qualified applicant and a co-applicant district may be granted an Emergency School Counselor License. may be issued in any increment of time at the Executive Director’s discretion, but generally will be limited to the least amount of time reasonably necessary to complete non-provisional licensure requirements or to bridge the actual emergency generating the district’s request. An Emergency School Counselor License may be issued when a school district demonstrates extenuating circumstances that merit the issuance of the license in order to protect the district's programs or students.

(2) An Emergency School Counselor License shall be issued solely at the discretion of the Executive Director for any length of time deemed necessary may be issued when a school district demonstrates significant extenuating circumstances that merit the issuance of the license in order to protect the district's programs or students.

(a) In most cases, an Emergency School Counselor License will not exceed one year unless the educator or the district has presented unusual extenuating circumstances.

(b) The Executive Director may consider efforts the educator has made in meeting licensure requirements. Additionally, the Executive Director will consider academic preparation or experience the proposed educator has had in the area in which the district is requesting the license.

(c) Generally, failure to meet renewal requirements does not constitute an emergency or extenuating circumstances.

(d) In most cases, an Emergency School Counselor License will expire on June 30 of the academic year in which the license was granted regardless of the term for licensure. Extending the license beyond the June 30 expiration date is at the discretion of the Executive Director after considering all extenuating circumstances.

(3) The Executive Director is authorized to deny application for an Emergency School Counselor License if the request exceeds more than one year beyond the expiration of a Restricted Transitional School Counselor License.

(4) (3) To be eligible for the Emergency School Counselor License the following must be submitted: an applicant and co-applicant district must provide the following:

(a) A C-1 application and full fee;

(b) All licensure fees, including possible late fees and expedited service fee if appropriate;

(c) Fingerprints furnished in the manner prescribed by the Commission if the applicant has not been fingerprinted or has not held an active license issued by the Commission in the past three years;

(b) A letter each from the district and the applicant describing the extenuating circumstances that require the issuance of an Emergency School Counselor License; and

(c) A description of the steps the district will take to ensure the applicant will qualify for the Initial I School Counselor License upon expiration of the Emergency School Counselor License.

(d) A letter from the district detailing the extenuating circumstances constituting the emergency and the applicant’s unique skills qualifying her or him for the license. The letter should include a request for the least amount of time necessary to meet the emergency needs of the district; and

(e) An applicant may be asked to provide a resume, official transcripts or other evidence of qualifications if requested by the Executive Director.

(5) The Emergency School Counselor License will be issued solely at the discretion of the Executive Director for any length of time deemed necessary to protect the district's programs or students. The Executive Director will consider the following:

(a) Whether the educator has had any academic preparation or experience in the area of counseling;

(b) Efforts the educator has made in meeting the Initial I School Counselor License requirements;

(c) Whether the educator has obtained a passing score on a commission-approved test of knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights and professional ethics.

(6) (4)(a) The Emergency School Counselor License is not subject to the 120 days grace period allowed for licensure renewal purposes under ORS 342.127. A new application and fee is required for the license the applicant must qualify for once the Emergency License has expired.

(b) It is the applicant’s responsibility to apply for the subsequent license in a timely manner in order to ensure that the applicant remains licensed.

(5) Situations not eligible for emergency licensure requests include:

(a) Renewal applications within the 120 days grace period;

(b) New Oregon Applicants eligible for Fast-Track processing pursuant to OAR 584-010-0090; or

(c) Failure to meet renewal or upgrade requirements such as required coursework or continuing professional development.

(6) The Commission may limit the number of applications from an employing district to a maximum of one hundred (100) in any two-day period.