Adjunct teachers; annual report; qualifications; requirements; prohibiting adjunct teachers from teaching core curriculum subjects to certain grades; waiver; certificate; effective date.

The document header was updated from 'House Committee Substitute' to 'Floor Substitute,' and the list of bill sponsors was expanded to include additional names.

The page numbering in the footer was updated from 'Req. No. 16881' to 'Req. No. 3943' to reflect the new version of the document.

Minor whitespace and line break adjustments were made throughout the text, but no substantive policy language was added, removed, or altered.

Removed the 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' label and updated the bill title to simply 'Committee Substitute'.

Added specific criteria for adjunct teachers without baccalaureate degrees, requiring them to be enrolled in a degree program with less than two years of estimated completion or possess 20 years of distinguished experience.

Updated the criteria for alternative placement teaching certificates to include specific GPA requirements or terminal degrees from nationally recognized institutions.

Added a clarification that adjunct teachers without valid teaching certificates are not considered 'teachers' under state law.

Added a requirement for the State Department of Education to publish an annual report on adjunct teacher qualifications and subject areas.

The document title and header were updated to reflect the new status as a 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' sponsored by Kyle Hilbert, dated February 17, 2026, replacing the previous 'Engrossed' status.

Replaced the requirement for a minimum high school diploma with a new requirement for 'distinguished qualifications' in the field.

Added new rules requiring adjunct teachers without bachelor's degrees to either be enrolled in a degree program with less than two years of estimated completion or have 20 years of verified distinguished experience.

Advanced the effective date for prohibiting adjuncts from teaching core curriculum subjects in pre-K through fourth grade from the 2027-2028 school year to the 2026-2027 school year.

Added a requirement for the State Board of Education to promulgate rules specifically defining what constitutes 'distinguished qualifications.'

The bill title and summary were changed from 'relating to adjunct teachers' to 'relating to teachers' to broaden the legislative intent and applicability.

The requirement for the State Board of Education to promulgate rules defining 'distinguished qualifications' was retained and emphasized, removing specific degree examples from the main text to allow for future rule-making flexibility.

Redundant and repetitive text regarding the annual report and waiver applications was removed to streamline the bill's language.

The effective date for prohibitions on teaching core subjects in pre-K through fifth grade remains the 2027-2028 school year, but the text was clarified to ensure consistency across sections.

Removed the ability for public school districts to employ adjunct teachers who only have a high school diploma, requiring a baccalaureate degree or terminal degree instead.

Added a prohibition starting in the 2027-2028 school year preventing adjunct teachers from instructing core curriculum subjects (math, ELA, science, social studies) in pre-K through 5th grade.

Mandated that adjunct teachers continuing to teach core subjects after 2027 must complete professional development training in the science of reading to qualify for a waiver.

Eliminated the requirement for adjunct teachers to declare an intention to earn standard certification within three years.

Established a five-year maximum employment limit for adjunct teachers, with a potential one-time five-year extension via waiver.

Changed the definition of 'adjunct teacher' to refer specifically to holders of an 'alternative placement teaching certificate' rather than a new, distinct category of employment.