Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Dear District Administrator,
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) today published Emergency Rule 2043, to provide flexibility under administrative rule PI 34 to help address staffing needs in schools as well as student teaching requirements in clinical programs.
The rule amends the short-term substitute provisions in PI 34 to allow for extended assignments. As you consider any extended assignments, please note the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires special education teachers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and does not permit licensure requirements to be waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis. Therefore, an individual must hold a provisional, lifetime, master educator, or a one- or three-year license with stipulations in special education in the grade or developmental level they are assigned to in order to teach special education for more than 45 consecutive days.
This emergency rule is in effect for 150 days. As part of the emergency rule process, DPI will schedule a hearing on the rule within 45 days and will have the option to ask the legislature to extend the duration of this rule for up to two additional 60-day time periods.
If you have questions, please contact DPI licensing staff.