Carol Wright
Director of Special Initiatives

OVEC provides a list of emergency certified teachers in all OVEC districts plus a support system and network to enable emergency certified candidates to successfully complete the process necessary to receive temporary provisional certification.

Emergency Certified teachers currently teaching in the OVEC districts in the area of Special Education have completed the application process for admission into the graduate teacher education program through the University of Louisville. The first two classes began the week of January 7 and a total of 25 teachers from the OVEC districts are now enrolled. By April 1, 2002, another group of teachers will also be enrolled in classes and will be allowed to bring six credits into the program once they are accepted.

The teachers in the Option C Alternate Route to Certification will go through a two year program and will either be certified in Special Education or receive their Masters' Degree in Special Education. They will no longer be considered "emergency certified" as the new program moves them to temporary provisional status upon acceptance.

Regular visits are scheduled throughout the year to these teachers to provide assistance with registration for classes as well as to provide information regarding scholarship options. Roger Hayes, retired principal from Bullitt County, was hired by the U of L to help teachers with development of lesson plans and teaching strategies.

U of L has received approval for another Alternate Route to Certification in content areas other than Special Education. Content area teachers have been contacted and given information about the program and how to enroll to begin classes for certification in the content areas.

Teachers from the following counties participating in the program:

• Bullitt (14)
• Franklin (6)
• Eminence (2)
• Gallatin (1)
• Grant (2)
• Oldham (8)
• Shelby (7)
• Spencer (3)
• Trimble (3)