INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Employee Qualifications Policy
Policy S-10
Policy: The Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired requires that all classified, unclassified and contracted personnel are appropriately licensed or certified to provide services for which they are employed or contracted in accordance with requirements of the Indiana State Board of Education, Professional Standards Board, Indiana State Personnel Department, and the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Board. The ISBVI Superintendent shall ensure that all staff have or obtain the appropriate and required certifications, licensure, and training in their respective fields or areas.
The Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired requires that each person employed in special education programs in an instructional or educational supervisory capacity hold a valid Indiana professional license in the area of visual impairment. In the event it becomes necessary to hire instructional staff members who do not possess required certifications in the area of visual impairment due to the unavailability of qualified applicants, these employees must satisfactorily complete a minimum of six university credits, or the equivalent thereof, annually in the required area of certification as part of the requirements for obtaining and maintaining an Indiana Emergency license and ultimately full certification in the area of visual impairment.
Newly hired full-time professional service staff (psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, guidance counselors, and speech and language pathologists) hired after July 1, 2001, in addition to their license in their area of specialty, shall be required to complete a minimum of six university credit hours in the area of visual impairment within 3 years from the date of hire unless previous coursework has been taken or certification obtained.
Failure of instructional or educational supervisory employees to maintain satisfactory progress toward certification or related service staff toward completing the six hours of course work within 5 years from the date of hire will result in Indiana State Personnel discipline up to and including termination.
The ISBVI Board directs the ISBVI Superintendent to ensure ISBVI staff and ISBVI contracted employees’ compliance with this policy consistent with statutory requirements by:
1) Implementing the ISBVI Board Policy on Employee Qualifications to a) serve as notice to staff and b) clearly delineate and detail their responsibilities, expectations, and procedures to follow;
2) Providing ISBVI staff and contractors written notice and documentation of their awareness and receipt of these documents;
3) Affording initial and periodic on-going training to ISBVI staff and ISBVI contracted employees on the ISBVI Policy for Employee Qualifications and accompanying ISBVI Administrative Directives and Procedures.
Revised: 7/9/91, 7/1/97, 1/6/98, 2/8/01, 8/11/03, 10/16/06, 8/5/11
ISBVI Superintendent: _______________________________ _____________
Date Signed
Date Signed