                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO AND ENACTED INTO LAW; FORM OF AGREEMENT (§ 22.1-316)

The Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnel is hereby
enacted into law and entered into with all jurisdictions legally joined therein
in the form substantially as follows:
		INTERSTATE AGREEMENT ON QUALIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL
		Article I.
		Purpose, Findings, and Policy.

A. The states party to this agreement, desiring by common action to improve
their respective school systems by utilizing the teacher or other professional
educational person wherever educated, declare that it is the policy of each of
them, on the basis of cooperation with one another, to take advantage of the
preparation and experience of such persons wherever gained, thereby serving the
best interests of society, of education and of the teaching profession. It is
the purpose of this agreement to provide for the development and execution of
such programs of cooperation as will facilitate the movement of teachers and
other professional educational personnel among the states party to it and to
authorize specific interstate educational personnel contracts to achieve that
end.

B. The party states find that included in the large movement of population among
all sections of the nation are many qualified educational personnel who move for
family and other personal reasons but who are hindered in using their
professional skill and experience in their new locations. Variations from state
to state in requirements for qualifying educational personnel discourage such
personnel from taking the steps necessary to qualify in other states. As a
consequence, a significant number of professionally prepared and experienced
educators is lost to our school systems. Facilitating the employment of
qualified educational personnel without reference to their states of origin can
increase the available educational resources. Participation in this compact can
increase the availability of educational manpower.
			Article II.
			Definitions.
			As used in this agreement and contracts made pursuant to it, unless the
context clearly requires otherwise:

   1. &#8220;Educational personnel&#8221; means persons who must meet
   requirements pursuant to state law as a condition of employment in educational
   programs.

   2. &#8220;Designated state official&#8221; means the educational official of a
   state selected by that state to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of his
   state, contracts pursuant to this agreement.

   3. &#8220;Accept&#8221; or any variant thereof means to recognize and give
   effect to one or more determinations of another state relating to the
   qualifications of educational personnel in lieu of making or requiring a like
   determination that would otherwise be required by or pursuant to the laws of a
   receiving state.

   4. &#8220;State&#8221; means a state, territory, or possession of the United
   States; the District of Columbia; or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

   5. &#8220;Originating state&#8221; means a state or subdivision thereof whose
   determination that certain educational personnel are qualified to be employed
   for specific duties in schools is acceptable in accordance with the terms of a
   contract made pursuant to Article III.

   6. &#8220;Receiving state&#8221; means a state or subdivision thereof which
   accepts educational personnel in accordance with the terms of a contract made
   pursuant to Article III of this section.
   				Article III.
   				Interstate Educational Personnel Contracts.

A. The designated state official of a party state may make one or more contracts
on behalf of his state with one or more other party states providing for the
acceptance of educational personnel. Any such contract for the period of its
duration shall be applicable to and binding on the states whose designated state
officials enter into it and the subdivisions of those states with the same force
and effect as if incorporated in this agreement. A designated state official may
enter into a contract pursuant to this article only with states in which he
finds that there are programs of education, licensure standards or other
acceptable qualifications that assure preparation or qualification of
educational personnel on a basis sufficiently comparable even though not
identical to that prevailing in his own state.

B. Any such contract shall provide for:

   1. Its duration.

   2. The criteria to be applied by an originating state in qualifying
   educational personnel for acceptance by a receiving state.

   3. Such waivers, substitutions, and conditional acceptances as shall aid the
   practical effectuation of the contract without sacrifice of basic educational
   standards.

   4. Any other necessary matters.

C. No contract made pursuant to this agreement shall be for a term longer than
five years but any such contract may be renewed for like or lesser periods.

D. Any contract dealing with acceptance of educational personnel on the basis of
their having completed an educational program shall specify the earliest date or
dates on which originating state approval of the program or programs involved
can have occurred. No contract made pursuant to this agreement shall require
acceptance by a receiving state of any persons qualified because of successful
completion of a program prior to January 1, 1954.

E. The licensure or other acceptance of a person who has been accepted pursuant
to the terms of a contract shall not be revoked or otherwise impaired because
the contract has expired or been terminated. Any license or other qualifying
document may be revoked or suspended on any ground which would be sufficient for
revocation or suspension of a license or other qualifying document initially
granted or approved in the receiving state.

F. A contract committee composed of the designated state officials of the
contracting states or their representatives shall keep the contract under
continuous review, study means of improving its administration, and report no
less frequently than once a year to the heads of the appropriate education
agencies of the contracting states.
			Article IV.
			Approved and Accepted Programs.

A. Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to repeal or otherwise modify
any law or regulation of a party state relating to the approval of programs of
educational preparation having effect solely on the qualification of educational
personnel within that state.

B. To the extent that contracts made pursuant to this agreement deal with the
educational requirements for the proper qualification of educational personnel,
acceptance of a program of educational preparation shall be in accordance with
such procedures and requirements as may be provided in the applicable contract.
			Article V.
			Interstate Cooperation.
			The party states agree that:

   1. They will, so far as practicable, prefer the making of multilateral
   contracts pursuant to Article III of this agreement.

   2. They will facilitate and strengthen cooperation in interstate licensure and
   other elements of educational personnel qualification and for this purpose
   shall cooperate with agencies, organizations, and associations interested in
   licensure and other elements of educational personnel qualification.
   				Article VI.
   				Agreement Evaluation.
   				The designated state officials of any party states may meet from time to
   time as a group to evaluate progress under the agreement and to formulate
   recommendations for changes.
   				Article VII.
   				Other Arrangements.
   				Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to prevent or inhibit other
   arrangements or practices of any party state or states to facilitate the
   interchange of educational personnel.
   				Article VIII.
   				Effect and Withdrawal.

A. This agreement shall become effective when enacted into law by two states.
Thereafter it shall become effective as to any state upon its enactment of this
agreement.

B. Any party state may withdraw from this agreement by enacting a statute
repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until one year
after the governor of the withdrawing state has given notice in writing of the
withdrawal to the governors of all other party states.

C. No withdrawal shall relieve the withdrawing state of any obligation imposed
upon it by a contract to which it is a party. The duration of contracts and the
methods and conditions of withdrawal therefrom shall be those specified in their
terms.
			Article IX.
			Construction and Severability.
			This agreement shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes
thereof. The provisions of this agreement shall be severable; and if any phrase,
clause, sentence, or provision of this agreement is declared to be contrary to
the constitution of any state or of the United States or if the application
thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the
validity of the remainder of this agreement and the applicability thereof to any
government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If
this agreement shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state
participating therein, the agreement shall remain in full force and effect as to
the state affected as to all severable matters.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 22-348; 1970, c. 193; 1980, c. 559; 1992, c. 132.