{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-161.053","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 161.053","heading":"Certification of teachers of exceptional children/communication disorders.","body":"(1) The Education Professional Standards Board shall have the authority and\nresponsibility to certify as a teacher of exceptional children/communication\ndisorders, an individual who has:\n(a) Completed an approved program of preparation that corresponds to the\ncertificate;\n(b) Achieved a passing score on an appropriate assessment as determined by the\nEducation Professional Standards Board;\n(c) Fulfilled other requirement s for teacher certification as determined by the\nEducation Professional Standards Board, in accordance with KRS Chapter\n161 and administrative regulations promulgated thereunder; and\n(d) Completed the requirements set forth in subsection (2) of this section.\n(2) The Education Professional Standards Board shall issue two (2) levels of\ncertification for teachers of exceptional children/communication disorders:\n(a) Baccalaureate level certification shall be issued to a person who has:\n1. Completed an approved program of preparation leading to a bachelor's\ndegree in speech-language pathology;\n2. Been granted licensure as a speech -language pathology assistant from\nthe Kentucky Board of Speech -Language Pathology and Audiology,\nunder KRS Chapter 334A; and\n3. Completed the other requirements set forth in subsection (1) of this\nsection; and\n(b) Master's level certification shall be issued to a person who has:\n1. Completed an approved program of preparation leading to a master's\ndegree in speech-language pathology; and\n2. Completed the other requirements specified in subsection (1) of this\nsection.\n(3) A person holding licensure through the Kentucky Board of Speech -Language\nPathology and Audiology as a speech -language pathology assistant, but not\ncertified as a teacher of exceptional children/communication disorders, may:\n(a) Continue to work in the publi c schools as a classified employee under the\nprovisions of KRS Chapter 334A and administrative regulations promulgated\nby the Kentucky Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; or\n(b) Pursue certification as a baccalaureate level teacher of excepti onal\nchildren/communication disorders while working as a speech -language\npathology assistant.\n(4) A bachelor's level teacher of exceptional children/communication disorders shall\nwork under requirements for speech-language pathology assistants set forth in  KRS\nChapter 334A.\n(5) The Education Professional Standards Board shall develop a policy through the\npromulgation of administrative regulations by June 30, 2001, to permit a speech -\nlanguage pathology assistant with two (2) years or more of successful profe ssional\nexperience pursuing certification as a baccalaureate level teacher of exceptional\nchildren to:\n(a) Substitute prior professional experience for student teaching requirements;\nand\n(b) Substitute prior professional experience for beginning teacher in ternship\nrequirements.\n(6) A teacher of exceptional children/communication disorders shall receive salary and\nbenefits, including membership in the Teachers' Retirement System, commensurate\nwith his or her education, certification, and experience as prescr ibed by law. Years\nof experience as a speech -language pathology assistant shall be included in the\ncalculation of all benefits, including membership in the Teachers' Retirement\nSystem, for individuals with baccalaureate level certification as a teacher of\nexceptional children/communication disorders.","path":["KRS Chapter 161"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=55072","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:09Z","sha256":"8af776a079bec712fd91b10753f1cf48f8fe0fc0df58ae664089edb6ac6aee2f","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-161.052","next":"us-ky/krs-161.060"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}