OAR 584-210-0130: Emergency Teaching License

(1) Purpose of the License: An Emergency Teaching License qualifies its holder to teach in prekindergarten through grade 12 Oregon public school districts, education service districts, and charter school assignments. The Emergency Teaching License is issued to persons who demonstrated adequate qualifications to receive a teaching license on an emergency basis. The purpose of the Emergency Teaching License is to provide a school district with a licensed educator, on an emergency basis, if the school district demonstrates urgent circumstances that merit the issuance of the license in order to protect the district's programs or students. The Emergency Teaching License is designed for short-term licensure only and may not continue once the emergency situation has been remedied. (2) District Sponsorship: The Emergency Teaching License requires district sponsorship. The sponsoring district must submit a statement: (a) Explaining the urgent circumstances that constitute the emergency and how the qualifications of the applicant will resolve the emergency; (b) Verifying the urgent circumstances that prevents hiring of a suitable teacher who holds an unrestricted teaching license appropriate for the assignment to be filled; (c) Assuring the Commission that the district will obtain the license prior to assignment within the district or prior to the 91st day after the date of application for licensure; and (d) Requesting and identifying the least amount of time necessary to meet the emergency needs of the district. (3) Assignment Authorization: The Emergency Teaching License qualifies the teacher to accept within the sponsoring district any instructional assignment within the subject-area authorized by the emergency license. The scope of the endorsement shall be determined by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) course codes associated with the endorsement as provided by the TSPC Licensure Guide. Note: The Emergency Teaching License is not eligible for Special Education endorsements. Please see OAR 584-220-0010 Endorsement on Teaching Licenses: General Provisions. (4) Granting of License: The Emergency Teaching License shall be issued solely at the discretion of the Executive Director, or the Director of Licensure, for any length of time deemed necessary to protect the district's programs or students. (a) In most cases, an Emergency Teaching License will not exceed one year unless the educator or the district has presented unusual extenuating circumstances. (b) The Executive Director, or the Director of Licensure may consider efforts the educator has made in meeting licensure requirements. Additionally, the Executive Director, or Director of Licensure, will consider academic preparation or experience the proposed educator has had in the area in which the district is requesting the license. (c) Generally, failure to meet renewal requirements does not constitute an emergency or extenuating circumstances. (d) In most cases, an Emergency Teaching License will expire on June 30 of the academic year in which the license was granted regardless of the term for licensure. Extending the license beyond the June 30 expiration date is at the discretion of the Executive Director after considering all extenuating circumstances. (e) The Emergency Teaching License is not renewable and not subject to the 120 day grace period. (f) It is the applicant’s responsibility to apply for the subsequent license in a timely manner to ensure that the applicant remains properly licensed. The applicant must submit a new application, including all required fees, for the subsequent license. (g) The following situations are not eligible for an Emergency Teaching License: (A) Renewal applications within the 120 days grace period; or (B) Applications that include requests for Emergency Teaching Licenses due to the applicant’s failure to meet renewal or upgrade requirements such as required coursework or professional development. (5) Applying for the license: To be eligible to apply for the Emergency Teaching License, an applicant must: (a) Provide a statement from the sponsoring district in accordance with subsection (2) of this rule; (b) Complete a background clearance that includes: (A) Furnishing fingerprints (if necessary); (B) Providing satisfactory responses to character questions in the form and manner prescribed by the Commission; and (c) Submit a complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584-200-0050. (d) An applicant may be asked to provide a resume, official transcripts or other evidence of qualifications if requested by the Executive Director. (6) Workforce Shortage Emergency Exception: (a) At the end of the Emergency License term, an applicant may apply for a reissuance of the Emergency Teaching License under the Workforce Shortage Emergency Exception if: (A) The applicant was teaching in an Oregon public school district during school years 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, or 2023-24; (B) The teaching experience occurred under an Oregon-issued Emergency Teaching License; (C) The applicant has otherwise completed an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or masters- level teacher preparation program, except for clinical practice; and (D) The applicant submits the following, as deemed acceptable by the Commission: (i) Evidence of completion of all teacher preparation program requirements for appropriate licensure, endorsement, and specialization area, except for clinical practices; (ii) Evidence that the teaching experience was during the period of 7/1/2020 through 6/30/2024; (iii) Evidence that the teaching experience was a minimum of two years of full-time, full school year (135 days); (iv) A statement from the sponsoring district in accordance with section (2) of this rule; and (v) A complete and correct application on or before August 31, 2024 in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584- 200-0050. (b) Those who are issued a Workforce Emergency Exception must meet all the requirements of the Preliminary Teaching License or Reciprocal Teaching License by August 31, 2025. The clinical practice requirements for Preliminary licensure may be met by: (A) District-Supported Evaluation (i) The applicant provides their most current evaluation of the teaching from the school district where the teaching took place. The overall rating from that evaluation must indicate that the applicant is performing at a level that indicates competency and effectiveness as an educator, and (ii) A designated administrator or mentor provides training, guidance, and supervision of the educator to support the educator’s service in the assigned schools during at least one term of license; or (B) Oregon Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) Evaluation: The Oregon EPP provides an official document evidencing the completion of clinical practices requirement.