(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “Alternative teacher preparation program” means a program:
(i) Established by a county board, an institution of higher education, or a nonprofit organization and approved by the State Superintendent;
(ii) That leads to a participant receiving a Resident Teacher Certificate issued by the Department; and
(iii) That includes teaching assignments with supervision and mentoring by a qualified teacher.
(3) “Eligible prekindergarten provider” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article.
(4) “Partner school” means a local school system, nonpublic school, nonpublic special education school, or eligible prekindergarten provider that has a written partnership agreement with an institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program to provide a teacher training practicum for participants enrolled in a teacher preparation program at the institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program.
(b) (1) Each participant in an undergraduate and a graduate teacher preparation program shall complete a teacher training practicum as a requirement for graduation.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an alternative teacher preparation program shall require each participant to successfully complete a teacher training practicum.
(3) (i) An alternative teacher preparation program for an early childhood education certification shall require each participant to successfully:
1. Complete a teacher training practicum; or
2. Satisfy criteria established by the Department under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph that evaluate the knowledge and skills from prior learning relating to early childhood education.
(ii) The Department, in collaboration with institutions of higher education, shall establish standards for and criteria to evaluate the knowledge and skills from prior learning relating to early childhood education, including from a registered apprenticeship.
(c) (1) A teacher training practicum for a participant in:
(i) An undergraduate teacher preparation program shall be:
1. A minimum of 100 days; and
2. Beginning on or before July 1, 2025, equivalent to one full school year; and
(ii) A graduate teacher preparation program:
1. Shall be for a minimum of 100 days; or
2. May be up to the equivalent of one full school year, at the discretion of the institution of higher education.
(2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a teacher training practicum in an alternative teacher preparation program shall have a duration of:
1. Beginning on or before July 1, 2022, a minimum of 100 days; and
2. Beginning July 1, 2025, a minimum of the equivalent of one full school year.
(ii) 1. This subparagraph applies only to an alternative teacher preparation program operating in the State on or before July 1, 2021, that provides effective and diverse teachers in schools and local school systems, as approved by the State Superintendent, that have high rates, relative to other public schools in the State, of:
A. Teacher vacancies;
B. Teacher turnover; and
C. New teachers.
2. Beginning July 1, 2025, the duration of a teacher training practicum in an alternative teacher preparation program shall be a minimum of 100 days.
(3) The minimum duration of a teacher training practicum may be completed consecutively or over the course of the teacher preparation program.
(d) A teacher training practicum in an alternative teacher preparation program shall include, at minimum, the following content:
(1) Preparing lesson plans;
(2) Teaching;
(3) Debriefing;
(4) Observation of a class of students to which the participant is assigned as a student teacher; and
(5) 40 hours of teaching during class periods.
(e) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a teacher training practicum shall be established through a written partnership agreement between a partner school and an institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program.
(ii) In establishing a teacher training practicum, an institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program shall prioritize selecting partner schools in the same community as the institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program.
(2) The instructional program and work organization of a partner school shall be designed to reflect the career ladder developed under Subtitle 10 of this title.
(3) An institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program and a partner school shall seek to provide teacher training practicum placements in a variety of school environments with diverse student populations that provide participants with the same kind of experiences as teachers employed in the State.
(4) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a mentor teacher for a participant in a teacher training practicum shall be a highly competent teacher, trained and selected by the partner school, who will work to instill in the participant the skills, attitudes, values, and knowledge necessary for the next generation of teachers.
(ii) When the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of this article determines that the career ladder system under Subtitle 10 of this title is well established throughout the State, mentor teachers will be selected using criteria from the career ladder system.
(5) A partner school shall:
(i) Assist an institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program in finding teacher training practicum placements for participants; and
(ii) 1. Subject to item 2 of this item, compensate mentor teachers who supervise participants in a teacher training practicum; and
2. When the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of this article determines that the career ladder system under Subtitle 10 of this title is well established throughout the State, compensate mentor teachers according to the career ladder system.
(6) An institution of higher education or alternative teacher preparation program shall collaborate with mentor teachers of a partner school to evaluate participants in a teacher training practicum to ensure each participant demonstrates the competencies required of certified teachers.
(7) A partner school or a teacher preparation program may apply to the Department for a grant from the Teacher Collaborative Grant Program under § 6–123 of this subtitle for development of a teacher training practicum.
(f) The Department and the Maryland Higher Education Commission may authorize a teacher preparation program or an alternative teacher preparation program to establish an apprenticeship program registered with the Maryland Department of Labor.
(g) The State Board and the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board shall, in consultation with the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of this article, adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection.