(a) The department will issue a special services certificate (Type C), valid for five years, to an applicant who has completed a program in a special service area, has a bachelor's or higher degree, is recommended by the preparing institution, and has met the requirements of 4 AAC 12.397(a).

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the applicant must have earned at least six semester hours of credit within the five years immediately preceding application. (c) A special services certificate does not qualify the holder to be assigned as a regular classroom teacher.

(d) Repealed 4/24/2016.

(e) To meet the requirements of (a) of this section, the applicant must have satisfactorily completed three semester hours in Alaska studies and three semester hours in multicultural education or cross-cultural communications.

(f) The commissioner may issue a nonrenewable provisional certificate (provisional Type C), valid for no longer than two years, to an applicant who has completed the requirements of this section, except for the requirements in (b) or (e) of this section.

(g) For the purposes of certification for related services providers under this chapter, a provisional certificate (provisional Type C) may be considered as the equivalent of a special services certificate (Type C).

(h) The commissioner may convert a provisional certificate (provisional Type C) to a special services certificate (Type C) upon satisfactory completion of the courses required under (b) and (e) of this section and payment of the fee for a special services certificate.

(i) The department will endorse a special services certificate (Type C) in one or more development levels or specialty areas if the recommendation from the preparing institution required in (a) of this section verifies the applicant's completion of an approved educational or special service program in the level or area for which endorsement is sought. The program must meet the requirements set out in 4 AAC 12.307(a).

(j) An applicant for endorsement under this section who has completed an approved program accepted under 4 AAC 12.307 (a)(2) must provide evidence of a comparable certificate or endorsement issued by the certifying state agency with jurisdiction over the program or an assurance by the certifying state agency or preparing institution that all requirements, including testing required by the jurisdiction, have been satisfied by the applicant and that the applicant is eligible to gain the comparable certification or endorsement in the state where the preparing institution is located.

A person employed to provide related services, as defined in 4 AAC 52.790, including speech or language pathology, school psychology, counseling, orientation and mobility, adaptive physical education, recreation therapy, social work, and psychometry must possess a

• (1) teacher certificate issued under 4 AAC 12.305 endorsed in the field of employment; or
• (2) special services certificate (Type C) issued under 4 AAC 12.355 in the field of employment.

(a) On or after June 30, 2017, to qualify for a certificate issued under 14.20.020 or to renew or reinstate a certificate, an applicant must provide evidence of training regarding

• (1) alcohol- and drug-related disabilities and satisfying the requirements of AS 14.20.680;
• (2) sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention and satisfying the requirements of AS 14.30.355, as that section is to appear on June 30, 2017;
• (3) dating violence awareness and prevention and satisfying the requirements of AS 14.30.356, as that section is to appear on June 30, 2017; and
• (4) youth suicide awareness and prevention and satisfying the requirements of AS 14.30.362, as that section is to appear on July 1, 2016.

(b) An applicant shall provide evidence of the training required under (a) of this section by submitting

• (1) a certificate of completion of a training program;
• (2) an official transcript showing the completion of a training course;
• (3) a record of training signed by a dean of an accredited school of education; or
• (4) a record of training signed by the superintendent or appointed designee of a school district in this state.

(c) Transcripts and other documents become part of the applicant's permanent records and remain on file with the department. For each certificated employee, a district shall maintain a record of each training required by (a) of this section, including the date of completion. Training records for each certificated employee must be maintained by the district for at least five years.

(d) For a training course to satisfy the requirements of (a) of this section, the course must have been completed no more than five years prior to the date of an applicant's application for certification or renewal.

(e) The requirements of this section are applicable to initial applications and applications for renewal of a certificate issued under AS 14.20.020, 4 AAC 12.305(a), (b), and (c), 4 AAC 12.345, 4 AAC 12.355, 4 AAC 12.360, 4 AAC 12.370, 4 AAC 12.372, 4 AAC 12.375, 4 AAC 12.380, 4 AAC 12.390, 4 AAC 12.400, and 4 AAC 12.405. The requirements of this section do not apply to applicants qualifying for certification under AS 14.20.015, AS 14.20.017, and AS 14.20.022.