Maine Revised Statutes Title 20-A. Education § 13013. Professional teacher certificate

1. Definition. A professional teacher certificate is a renewable certificate issued to an individual who has met the qualifications of this section.

2. Repealed. Laws 1991, c. 682, § 3.

2-A. Deleted. Laws 2017, c. 235, § 12, eff. July 1, 2018.

2-B. Qualifications. State board rules governing the qualifications for a professional teacher certificate must require that the certificate may be issued only to an applicant who, at a minimum, meets one of the following criteria:

3. Endorsements. A professional teacher certificate must be issued with an endorsement that specifies the grades and subject area that the teacher is determined qualified to teach. A holder of a professional teacher certificate may not teach outside the certificate holder's area of endorsement unless the certificate holder has received a waiver from the commissioner in accordance with state board rules.

4. Five-year certificate. A professional teacher certificate is issued for a 5-year period.

5. Renewal. A professional teacher certificate may be renewed for 5-year periods in accordance with state board rules, which must require, at a minimum, that the teacher, whether employed or unemployed, complete at least 6 semester hours of professional or academic study or in-service training designed to improve the performance of the teacher in the field. If the teacher has attained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the renewal period is for 10 years. If a rule adopted pursuant to section 13006-A amends the endorsement specifications for grades or subject areas for a teacher's professional teacher certificate, the teacher may renew the teacher's professional teacher certificate with the same grades and subject areas endorsements as were issued with the active professional teacher certificate that is held by the teacher at the time of the amendment.

6. Reissuance; retired teacher. The commissioner may issue a professional teacher certificate to a person who is receiving a retirement benefit from the State Employee and Teacher Retirement Program established under Title 5, section 17602 and who was employed for at least 10 years by a public school, who has been receiving a retirement benefit for no more than 5 years and who, immediately prior to receiving that benefit, possessed an active professional teacher certificate in good standing that has subsequently lapsed. The professional teacher certificate must be issued with the same grades and subject areas endorsements as were issued with the active professional teacher certificate that was held by the teacher at the time of the teacher's retirement. A professional teacher certificate issued under this subsection is for the same period as specified in subsection 4 and subject to the same renewal standards as specified in subsection 5. State board rules may further govern qualifications for a professional teacher certificate issued under this subsection.