Entry Requirements for Teacher Preparation Programs. A provider of a traditional program shall require candidates to have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale during the most recent 2 years of the candidate’s post-secondary education or demonstrate mastery of general knowledge by providing evidence of a qualifying score, as established by the State Superintendent of Schools and as approved by the State Board of Education (SBOE), on a basic skills assessment. A provider of an alternative program shall require candidates to submit: A GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the post-secondary level, or demonstrate mastery of general knowledge by providing evidence of a qualifying score, as established by the State Superintendent of Schools and as approved by the SBOE, on a basic skills assessment; and Evidence of one of the following: A conferred bachelor’s degree or higher with a major related to the program licensure area; A conferred bachelor’s degree or higher with a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit related to the licensure area; or A conferred bachelor’s degree or higher and evidence of a qualifying score on an approved content assessment, as established by the State Superintendent of Schools and as approved by the SBOE. Waiver of Entry Requirements. A provider of a program may waive the entrance requirement for up to 10 percent of the candidates admitted in an annual cohort. A provider of a program shall implement strategies to ensure that candidates admitted under a waiver receive assistance to successfully demonstrate the required standards and competencies and meet requirements for licensure on exit from the program. Standards and Competencies. A provider shall ensure that its teacher preparation programs provide the following for all candidates: Instruction and experiences in the core academic subjects that the teacher will be teaching, aligned with Maryland-recognized national content and pedagogy standards listed under Regulation .03A of this chapter; Instruction and experiences aligned with Department-approved competencies under Regulations .12—.15 of this chapter; Instruction in the Department-approved Model Code of Ethics for Educators; Instruction in teaching in high poverty, culturally diverse, and linguistically diverse schools under Regulation .15 of this chapter; Instruction in research-based literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading for the grade level the individual will be teaching; and Training in the skills and techniques for teaching effectively in a virtual learning environment, including the use of online curricula. A provider of a teacher preparation program leading to licensure in early childhood education, elementary education, English as a Second Language, and special education shall: Provide coursework demonstrating coverage of research-based literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension; Use high-quality curricula and materials that accurately detail the principles of scientifically based reading practices; Provide opportunities for candidates to demonstrate mastery of reading instruction through in-class assignments, tests, and instructional practice; and Prepare candidates to interpret reading assessment data to identify students with reading difficulties and inform instruction. A provider shall ensure that programs preparing candidates for licensure in early childhood and elementary education provide content instruction in each of the following: English language arts; Social studies; Math; and Science. Programs for Specialists. The Department shall approve specialists programs according to the national standards listed in Regulation .03A of this chapter. Programs for Administrators. The Department shall approve administrator programs according to the national standards listed in Regulation .03A of this chapter. A provider of a program that offers courses in school administration shall: Develop a method for evaluating the potential of candidates to be effective school leaders; Develop a curriculum to enable candidates to organize and manage both schools and highly skilled professionals in a professional work environment, and achieve effective peer observations and effective evaluations of other personnel; Include clinical experiences and assessments that measure competencies established in the program curriculum; and Include instruction in research-based literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading. Clinical Experiences. Each participant in an undergraduate, graduate, or alternative teacher preparation program shall complete a teacher training practicum as a requirement for program completion. A provider shall ensure that a teacher training program incorporates classroom observations in which the candidate is observed in different school settings at the beginning of the program to assist in determining if the candidate has the aptitude and temperament for teaching. A teacher training practicum may be completed consecutively or over the course of the program. Before July 1, 2025, a provider shall ensure that a teacher preparation program has a required practicum of a minimum of 100 days. Minimum Required Practicum. Beginning on July 1, 2025, a provider shall ensure that: An undergraduate teacher preparation program has a required practicum equivalent to a full school year; A graduate teacher preparation program has a required practicum of a minimum of 100 days; and An alternative teacher preparation program has a required practicum equivalent to a full school year. Exceptions. If an alternative teacher preparation program operating in Maryland on or before July 1, 2021, provides effective and diverse teachers in schools and local school systems, as approved by the State Superintendent, and has high rates of teacher vacancies, teacher turnover, and new teachers relative to other public schools in Maryland, a provider shall ensure that this program has a required practicum of a minimum of 100 days. Candidates in an alternative teacher preparation program for early childhood education may satisfy criteria established by the Department that evaluate the knowledge and skills from prior learning relating to early childhood education in place of a practicum. A provider shall ensure collaboration with mentor teachers of a partner school to evaluate participants in a teacher training practicum and ensure each participant demonstrates the competencies required of licensed teachers. Special Requirements for Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs. A provider shall ensure that a teacher training practicum in an alternative teacher preparation program includes, at a minimum, the following content: Preparing lesson plans; Teaching; Debriefing; Observation of a class of students to which the participant is assigned as a student teacher; and 40 hours of teaching during class periods. A provider shall ensure that a program leading to licensure in an area of teaching includes a practicum experience in a partner school and: Is located in a Maryland public school, a nonpublic school, or an out-of-State school with the permission of the State Superintendent; Is aligned with program curricula that encompass the area, subject, or category of licensure being sought by candidates, including opportunities to provide reading instruction for those candidates enrolled in early childhood, elementary, special education, and ESOL programs; Provides candidates on-site supervision by a mentor teacher and ongoing support by a clinical supervisor from the provider, including: Documented observations; Collaboration between clinical supervisors and mentor teachers to evaluate candidates for demonstration of required competencies; Observations and evaluations of candidates, aligned to a Department-approved educator evaluation system; and Feedback, placement, remediation, or supports, informed by candidate evaluation; and Ensures candidates are responsible for the instruction and classroom management of a roster of students for a minimum of 150 hours during the practicum. A provider shall ensure that a program for administrators includes supervised clinical experience totaling a minimum of 240 hours distributed within the program to include observations and evaluations of candidates aligned to a Department-approved administrator evaluation system. A provider shall ensure that a program for specialists includes a supervised clinical experience in the specialty area being pursued. Exit Requirements. A provider shall establish exit requirements for programs that: Demonstrate successful completion of required coursework that is based on Department-recognized national content standards and Department-approved competencies; Demonstrate successful completion of the clinical experience outlined in §D of this regulation; and Enable teacher candidates to, beginning July 1, 2025, complete: A nationally recognized and nationally scored portfolio-based assessment of teaching ability approved by the State Board of Education; or A rigorous local school system teacher induction program that meets the requirements listed in §E(3) of this regulation. Candidates who complete an approved program in the State who passed an approved portfolio-based assessment will not be required to take the assessment more than one time. A local school system induction program under §E(1)(c)(ii) of this regulation shall: Be developed by the local school system, either independently or collaboratively with other local school systems; Be approved by the Department; Last the lesser of 3years or the amount of time a teacher holds a conditional license; and Include a locally developed portfolio component that is aligned with the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards. Credit Requirements. A provider shall ensure that a program leading to a bachelor’s degree is a 4-year program and award 120 credits, unless otherwise permitted by law. A provider may expand the program by no more than 12 semester hours of credit or an additional semester only with the permission of the Department and the Commission. A locally developed portfolio established under §E(3) of this regulation may be used to meet a portion of the coursework requirements of the program.