Background
Indiana’s Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability (REPA) is the set of requirements someone must meet to become a certified teacher. REPA III is the third version of these requirements, adapted from the REPA II language created by former state superintendent Tony Bennett.
One of the most significant of the proposed changes in REPA III is removing the previous “adjunct permit” and renaming it a “career specialist”. To receive this certification, a candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in a related field (Human Biology to teach high school biology or political scientist degree to teach social studies, for example), a 3.0 GPA and 6,000 hours of professional experience in a related field. The candidate must also pass a content test before being certified.
Pedagogy training is now required, something not a part of the adjunct permit. Pedagogy (training in teaching strategies) will begin within the first month of teaching and take place within the length of the certification, or two years.
REPA III also adds back the requirement that principals have a master’s degree and superintendents possess an education specialist degree (in between a master’s and Ph.D).
In January 2014 the Indiana Department of Education held public comment periods before drafting new language for REPA III. Many of the more than 1,000 comments were taken into account, says Michelle McKeown, the State Board of Education’s General Counsel who put together the document.
All components of REPA III have been approved by the State Board, but the entire document will be put to a vote for approval at the June meeting.