Sec. 8. (a) The department, in consultation with the commission for higher education, shall approve teacher education courses or programs that meet the criteria established under subsection (b).

     (b) The department may only approve a teacher education course or program under subsection (a) that:

(1) is designed to:

(A) engage teachers with approved postsecondary educational institutions and employers for the purpose of connecting daily classroom lessons with innovations in workplace practices and postsecondary education research;

(B) improve a teacher’s:

(i) content area knowledge; and

(ii) familiarity with the application of the content area in postsecondary education research and the workplace;

(2) is offered:

(A) by an approved postsecondary educational institution;

(B) by an employer; or

(C) jointly, by an approved postsecondary educational institution and employer; and

(3) meets any other requirements established by the department.

As added by P.L.202-2023, SEC.17.