Sec. 80-5.27. Emergency COVID-19 certificate for candidates seeking certain certificates, extensions, and annotations

(a) Purpose.

The purpose of the emergency COVID-19 certificate is to authorize a candidate who was adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, and is seeking a certain certificate, extension, or annotation in a specific certificate title, to teach for a limited period of time.

(b) Limitations.

The emergency COVID-19 certificate in a specific certificate title shall be valid for two years from its effective date and shall not be renewable.

(c) Requirements.

To be eligible for an emergency COVID-19 certificate, the candidate shall:

(1) apply for one of the following certificates, extensions, or annotations on or before September 1, 2021: the American sign language extension, coordinator of work- based learning programs for career awareness extension, coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development extension, bilingual education extension, general science in grades 5-9 and 7-12 extension, gifted education extension, grade level extensions to teach students with disabilities, initial or professional certificate in the classroom teaching service that has examination requirement(s), initial or professional certificate in the educational leadership service that has examination requirement(s), initial reissuance, world languages other than English – early childhood education and childhood education extension, teaching assistant certificate that has examination requirement(s), school administrator and supervisor provisional renewal, severe or multiple disabilities annotation, specific subject in a special class in grades 7-12 limited extension, subject in grades 5-6 extension, subject in grades 7-9 extension, subject in grades 5-9 or 7-12 for students with disabilities extension, supplementary certificate that has examination requirement(s), supplementary bilingual education extension, transitional A certificate through the Option B pathway, transitional B certificate, transitional C certificate, or transitional D certificate;

(2) apply for the emergency COVID-19 certificate in such certificate title applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision on or before September 1, 2021; and

(3)

(i) for certificates that require examination(s), met all requirements for such certificate applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision other than the examination requirement(s), on or before September 1, 2021; or

(ii) for extensions that require examination(s), either:

(a) met all requirements for such extension applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision, other than the examination requirement(s), on or before September 1, 2021; or

(b) met all requirements for such extension applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision, other than the base certificate requirement, on or before September 1, 2021, and hold an appropriate valid emergency COVID-19 base certificate at the time of the application evaluation; or

(c) met all requirements for such extension applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision, other than the examination requirement(s) and base certificate requirement, on or before September 1, 2021, and hold an appropriate valid emergency COVID-19 base certificate at the time of the application evaluation; or

(iii) for extensions or annotations that do not require examination(s), met all requirements for such extension or annotation applied for pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision other than the base certificate requirement, on or before September 1, 2021, and hold an appropriate valid emergency COVID-19 base certificate at the time of the application evaluation;

(4) for the emergency COVID-19 American sign language extension and the emergency COVID-19 specific subject in a special class in grades 7-12 limited extension, a candidate shall only be issued either such extension if they meet the requirements of clause (3)(ii)(b) of this section.