§18A-3-1c. Alternative program instruction for classroom teachers; methods; training and evaluation phases; professional support team; tuition.

(a) Alternative program instruction. -- An alternative program for classroom teachers shall provide, at a minimum, either six credit hours or six staff development hours of instruction in one or more of the following subjects:

(1) Early literacy (if an alternative program teacher will be teaching elementary school children);

(2) Student assessment;

(3) Development and learning;

(4) Curriculum;

(5) Classroom management;

(6) Use of educational computers and other technology; and

(7) Special education and diversity.

(b) Methods of instruction. – An alternative program may provide instruction through nontraditional methods, including, but not limited to, methods such as a series of modules covering the various topics, electronically delivered instruction, summer sessions, professional development and job-embedded mentoring.(c) Professional support team. – If the State Board approves, an alternative program may provide a professional support team whose structure is consistent with the structure that the partnership's participating school or schools use for supporting, supervising, inducting and mentoring a beginning teacher or teacher-in-residence. If the State Board approves, an alternative program's professional support team may be trained by and in coordination with the Center for Professional Development.

(d) Professional support team evaluation for classroom teachers. – The professional support team shall submit a written evaluation of the alternative program teacher to the approved education provider. This evaluation shall be submitted on a form specified by the approved education provider and shall be submitted before the first Monday in May on a date set by the approved education provider. The evaluation shall report the alternative program teacher's progress toward meeting the alternative program's academic and performance standards: Provided, That all final decisions on the progress of an alternative program teacher shall rest with the principal.(e) Tuition. – A partnership may not charge tuition, or impose any other charge for participation in an alternative program, unless the tuition or other charge is necessary to offset the partnership's cost of providing the alternative program: Provided, That a partner that is an institution of higher education with an accredited program for the education of professional educators may charge tuition for academic credit that an alternative education teacher receives in the alternative program if:

(1) The institution of higher education is the entity that grants the academic credit; and

(2) The charge does not exceed the per credit rate charged for students enrolled in its standard program for the education of professional educators.