SB 609

Under current law, an applicant for certain initial teaching licenses, as a

condition for receiving the license, must pass an examination identical to the

Foundations of Reading test, commonly called the FORT, in addition to all other

requirements for licensure by the Department of Public Instruction. The FORT

requirement applies to the following licenses:

1. An initial teaching license that authorizes the holder to teach in grades

kindergarten to five.

2. An initial teaching license that authorizes the holder to teach in special

education.

3. An initial license as a reading teacher.

4. An initial license as a reading specialist.

Current law also provides an exception to the FORT requirement for an

applicant for a special education initial teaching license, under which the applicant

may demonstrate to DPI that the applicant completed a course of study in the

teaching of reading and reading comprehension, rather than passing the FORT. This

bill extends the exception currently available only to applicants for a special

education initial teaching license to applicants for all licenses to which the FORT

requirement applies. Specifically, the bill expands the exception to applicants for a

license to teach in grades kindergarten to five, an initial license as a reading teacher,

and an initial license as a reading specialist. Under current law and the bill, a teacher

who passes the FORT exam must notify DPI and DPI must add a notation to the

teacher's license indicating that the teacher passed the FORT.