High School Educator Flexibility Act

Prior to task force meetings, ALEC posts these legislative member-submitted draft model policies to our website. The draft model policies are then discussed, debated, and voted on by ALEC task force members. Policies that receive final approval by legislators on the ALEC Board of Directors become official ALEC model policy. Draft model policies that fail to become official ALEC model policy are removed from the website.

Policy Status

  • Type: Model Policy
  • Status: Final
  • Date Introduced: December 4, 2025
  • Date Finalized: January 6, 2026

Task Forces

  • Education and Workforce Development

    • Tags

  • SNPS 2025

    • Summary

    This model creates a course-specific teaching permit system allowing certified educators to teach high-quality academic or career-technical courses outside their formal endorsement areas once they complete approved professional learning tied to that course. It defines criteria for “high-quality courses,” including partnerships with colleges or industries and alignment to externally validated assessments. Approved nonprofit providers must deliver at least 30 hours of structured professional training per course. The law requires the state education agency to maintain lists of approved courses and providers, ensures educators holding these permits qualify for full CTE funding, and directs the agency to clear data-system licensing errors so schools aren’t penalized financially for employing them. 
    Draft

    High School Educator Flexibility Act

    Section 1. Title. 

    This Act shall be known as the “High School Educator Flexibility Act.” 

    Section 2. Definitions. 

    A. “High-quality course” means a high school course that: 

    • (a) Is designed and maintained in partnership with;
      • (i) accredited postsecondary institutions. 
      • (ii) postsecondary institutions that are actively pursuing accreditation and have been verified for quality by the state board of education/state department of education; or
      • (iii) industry representatives;
    • (b) Leads to articulated postsecondary credit or a valid career credential; 
    • (c) Includes an externally validated end-of-course exam; and 
    • (d) The course is either an academic course or a career and technical education course. 

    B. “Approved professional learning” means a professional learning experience facilitated by an approved provider that satisfies all of the following conditions: 

    • (a) The professional learning consists of no fewer than 30 clock hours of course-specific content and pedagogy instruction offered in a single training that is completed over consecutive days or in sequenced modules that are completed within a single year; 
    • (b) Professional learning sessions are anchored to the approved provider’s course; 
    • (c) Professional learning sessions are facilitated by an individual the approved provider has formally vetted and then endorsed after completing the approved provider’s own faculty-development program and maintaining currency with the latest course version; 
    • (d) At the conclusion of professional learning, participants receive a dated certificate that public school districts shall accept as proof of compliance, verifying the course title, hours earned, and the approved provider’s name. 

    C. “Approved provider” means a U.S.-based, non-profit educational organization that publishes a curriculum framework for each high-quality course and requires each school offering the course to secure course authorization. 

    D. “Eligible educator” means a currently certified educator including: 

    • (a) Teachers certified through alternative pathways; and
    • (b) Individuals holding a state-issued conditional teaching license who possesses a bachelor’s or associate degree relevant to the high-quality course.

    Section 3. Establishment of Course-Specific Teaching Permit. 

    A. The [insert state education department/agency or licensing authority] shall establish a course-specific teaching permit for eligible educators that: 

    • (a) Authorizes eligible educators to teach a high-quality course outside their formally endorsed certification area; 
    • (b) Is permanently issued to the educator upon completion of approved professional learning directly linked to the specific high-quality course content; and 
    • (c) Once earned by an educator, enables them to immediately begin classroom instruction. 

    B. Public school districts shall have the authority and flexibility to assign educators holding course-specific teaching permits to classrooms requiring such specialized instructional capacity. 

    C. The [insert state education department/agency] shall maintain, and update on an annual basis, a list of: 

    • (a) Approved high-quality courses eligible for staffing through course-specific teaching permits; 
    • (b) Approved providers who facilitate approved professional learning experiences; and 
    • (c) Approved professional learning experiences.