An Act To Modify Teacher Certification Expiration Dates for Teachers Who Use Family Medical Leave

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13011-A  is enacted to read:

§ 13011-A.  Certification extension for family medical leave

Notwithstanding the term of a conditional, provisional or professional certificate under this chapter, upon the request of a school administrative unit, the commissioner shall grant an extension on an individual's conditional, provisional or professional certificate if the individual uses family medical leave during the final year of the individual's certificate and the school administrative unit provides the commissioner with sufficient proof of the use of family medical leave. An extension under this section is for the same number of days as the family medical leave used during the final year of the individual's certificate. For the purposes of this section, "family medical leave" has the same meaning as in Title 26, section 843, subsection 4.

summary

This bill provides that, upon the request of a school administrative unit, the Commissioner of Education must grant an extension on a teacher's conditional, provisional or professional certificate if the teacher uses family medical leave within the teacher's final year of certification and the school administrative unit provides sufficient proof of the use of family medical leave. The extension is for the same number of days as the family medical leave used during the final year of the teacher's certificate.