# Summary: South Dakota Educator Certification Rule Updates South Dakota's educator certification rules are being updated to streamline the path to becoming a teacher and reduce unnecessary barriers. **Key changes include eliminating the "alternative preliminary certificate" step**, allowing applicants to go directly into alternative certification programs, and simplifying fee structures by bundling endorsement additions into renewal fees. The state is also repealing the "mentor teacher" specialist certification and reorganizing career and technical education (CTE) instructor permits to offer three-year interim status leading to five-year professional status, while clarifying that CTE instructors can add multiple pathway endorsements if they meet specific work experience, degree, or certification requirements. Overall, these changes aim to make it faster and less expensive for qualified career professionals and degree holders to enter South Dakota classrooms while maintaining educator quality standards.
AI-generated from the adopted rule text — verify against the official documents.
The effect of the rules will be to eliminate unnecessary barriers to certification, clarify the requirements to obtain certification, ensure educators are adequately trained, provide additional flexibility for certification renewals, and clarify and update language.