OAR 584-235-0090: Restricted Administrator License

(1) Purpose: The purpose of the Restricted Administrator License is to allow a teacher, school counselor, school social worker or school psychologist to serve as a building-level administrator while they complete the requirements for the Principal License. The Restricted Administrator License requires school district sponsorship. (2) Definitions: (a) “Building-level administrator position:” An administrator position within a prekindergarten through grade 12 Oregon public school or charter school, including principal, vice, associate or assistant principal, and such other building-level position, regardless of title, that is within the scope of school administrator licensure, as provided in 584-235-0010 Scope and Responsibilities of a School Administrator. (b) “District-level administrator position:” An administrator position within a prekindergarten through grade 12 Oregon public school or education service district that has responsibilities across schools or programs, including a director of program, a superintendent, an assistant, deputy or associate superintendent, and such other district-level position, regardless of title, that is within the scope of school administrator licensure, as provided in 584-235-0010 Scope and Responsibilities of a School Administrator. (3) District Sponsorship: The Restricted Administrator License requires district sponsorship. The sponsoring district must submit a statement: (a) Describing the extenuating circumstances preventing the district from hiring a building-level administrator holding a non-provisional Oregon Principal license and how the issuance of the restricted license will protect the district's programs or students that; (b) Explains how the qualifications of the applicant will resolve the extenuating circumstances; (c) Assures the Commission that the district will obtain the license for the applicant prior to school administrator assignment within the district or prior to the 91st day after the date of application for licensure; (d) Describes the district’s plan to provide a mentor for the administrator. The plan must specifically identify the mentor; and (e) Describes the plan for how the educator will make progress toward qualifying for Principal License within the first term of the Restricted Administrator License. (4) Renewal of District Sponsorship: Upon application for a reissue of the Restricted Administrator License, the sponsoring district must provide a new statement confirming that: (a) The extenuating circumstances necessitating the Restricted Administrator License still exists; (b) The applicant is still qualified and needed to remedy the situation; (c) The plan for mentoring remains in place. The statement must update the name of the mentor, if appropriate; and (d) The educator is on track to meet the qualifications for the Principal License by the end of the final term (after second reissue) of the Restricted Administrator License. (5) Transfer of District Sponsorship: To transfer sponsorship of the Restricted Administrator License to another district, the new sponsoring district must: (a) Submit a statement as provided in subsection (3); (b) Submit a statement that the original sponsoring district has been informed of the transfer; and (c) Require the applicant to 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. (6) The new sponsoring district and applicant will only be issued a license for any time remaining in the original terms, starting from the issue date of the first Restricted Administrator License. (7) Terms of Licensure: The Restricted Administrator License may be reissued up to two times, and is valid for a length of term, as provided: (a) For applications received from July 1 through December 31, the first Restricted Administrator License is valid through June 30 of the school year for which it is issued. (b) For applications received from January 1 through June 30, the first Restricted Administrator License is valid through June 30 of the following school year unless otherwise requested by the sponsoring district; (c) The second and third (final) term will only be issued for up to one year and with an expiration date of the next June 30. (d) Upon expiration of the final term of the Restricted Administrator License, the educator must qualify for the Principal License. (e) If the applicant held an Emergency Administrator License prior to being issued the Restricted Administrator License, the applicant’s time holding the Emergency Administrator License will be subtracted from the eligible terms of the Restricted Administrator License. EXAMPLE: If an applicant held an Emergency Administrator License for one year, the applicant may only hold a Restricted Administrator License for two years. (f) If the educator does not meet the qualifications for the Principal License prior to the expiration of the final term of the Restricted Administrator License, the educator may apply for an Emergency Administrator License, as provided in 584-080-0171. (8) Assignments: The Restricted Administrator License qualifies the holder to accept within the sponsoring district: (a) Any principal assignment; (b) Any other school administrator assignment that does not require a Professional Administrator License; and (c) Any substitute teaching assignment, only as required as part of the administrative assignment. NOTE: An active and valid Oregon teaching license is required for a teaching assignment that is not for the purpose of substituting. (9) Applying for License: To be eligible to apply for a Restricted Administrator License, the applicant must: (a) Provide a statement from the sponsoring district in accordance with subsection (3) of this rule; (b) Have never held the Restricted Administrator License; NOTE: The applicant may have previously held an emergency or a charter school registration. (c) Possess the personal qualifications for licensure including attainment of at least eighteen years of age and possessing good moral character and mental and physical health necessary for employment as an educator; (d) Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an Approved Institution in the United States, or the foreign equivalent of such degree approved by the Commission. A master's degree or a doctoral degree from an Approved Institution in the United States validates a non-regionally accredited bachelor's degree for licensure purposes; (e) Meet the requirements for knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights laws and professional ethics; (f) Submit official transcripts, and any other evidence required by the Commission as proof of substantial completion of academic preparation or substantial administrative work experience; (g) Provide evidence of admission and enrollment, or pending enrollment, into a Commission-approved Principal preparation program. The evidence of admission and enrollment must be verified by the educator preparation program to which the educator is admitted; (h) Complete a background clearance that includes: (A) Furnishing fingerprints, if required; (B) Providing satisfactory responses to character questions in the form and manner prescribed by the Commission; and (i) 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. (10) First Reissue : To be eligible to apply for the first reissue of a Restricted Administrator License, an applicant must submit: (a) A statement from the sponsoring district in accordance with subsection (4) of this rule; (b) Evidence of progress toward completion of the Principal License program. The evidence of progress toward completion must be verified by the educator preparation program to which the educator is enrolled; (c) 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. (11) Second Reissue : To be eligible to apply for the second reissue a Restricted Administrator License, an applicant must submit: (a) A statement from the sponsoring district in accordance with subsection (4) of this rule; (b) Evidence the educator has completed more than 50 percent of a Commission-approved Principal Administrator License program. The completion of more than 50 percent of the program must be verified by the educator preparation provider in which the educator is enrolled; and (c) 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. (12) Non-reissuance: The Director of Licensure may not approve the application for reissue of the Restricted Administrator License upon failure to show progress in the licensure program. (13) Next License: Upon expiration of the final term of the Restricted Administrator License, recipients of this license must meet all the requirements of the Principal License or Reciprocal Administrator License.