Initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools

(a) As used in this section, “trade and industrial occupations” includes, but is not limited to, food service, automotive servicing, machine tool and operation, building maintenance and repairs, welding, appliance repair and public safety. (b) The State Board of Education may issue an initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools to an applicant who has (1) provided a written request from a local or regional board of education, (2) obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, (3) completed a minimum of three years of approved successful work experience appropriate to the field for which such certificate is sought, which may include not more than two years of specialized appropriate schooling, (4) completed a minimum of six semester hours of credit in professional education in areas such as (A) teaching vocational and industrial education, or (B) foundations of education, educational psychology, adolescent psychology, psychology of learning, curriculum and methods of teaching, classroom instruction and management, multicultural diversity or equity issues in education, and (5) completed a course of study in special education comprised of not fewer than three semester hours, which shall include study in understanding the growth and development of exceptional children, including children with a disability, gifted and talented children and children who may require special education, and methods for identifying, planning for and working effectively with special needs children in the regular classroom. An initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools shall authorize the holder to teach in a comprehensive high school trade and industrial program in grades six to twelve, inclusive, except such initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools shall not be valid to teach in the Technical Education and Career System. (c) An applicant who is otherwise eligible for an initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools, but is deficient in meeting the course requirements to the extent of not more than six semester hours of credit, as described in subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, and a course of study in special education, as described in subdivision (5) of subsection (b) of this section, may be issued an interim educator certificate, valid for one year, which may be reissued for a second year by the Commissioner of Education. If the holder of such interim educator certificate fails to meet such course requirements at the expiration of such interim educator certificate, the commissioner shall prevent the holder from serving in the employ of a board of education in a position covered by the initial educator certificate for trade and industrial occupations in comprehensive high schools, except that the course work in which the applicant is deficient may be deferred for one additional year for good cause shown.