201 KAR 39:090. Continuing education requirements.
RELATES TO: KRS 309.304(5)
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 309.304(3),
309.314(7)
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS
309.314(7) authorizes the board to promulgate an administrative regulation that
requires interpreters who apply for renewal or reinstatement to show evidence
of completion of continuing education. This administrative regulation
delineates the requirements for continuing education and prescribes methods and
standards for the accreditation of continuing education courses.
Section 1. Accrual of Continuing
Education Hours Mandatory for Full Licensure; Computation of Accrual. (1) A
person who is licensed as an interpreter shall have earned a total of fifteen
(15) hours of approved continuing education during the compliance period, prior
to renewal of his or her license for the next licensure period.
(2) A minimum of half of the fifteen (15)
hours shall be from any of the following sources, alone or in combination:
(a) Alexander Graham Bell Association of
the Deaf;
(b) American Sign Language Teacher
Association;
(c) National Association of the Deaf;
(d) National Educational Interpreters
Conference;
(e) Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
- Certificate Maintenance Program; or
(f) Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
- Associate Continuing Education Training.
(3) A minimum of fifteen (15) continuing
education hours shall be accrued by each licensee during the licensure period
for renewal for the following year.
(4) A minimum of three (3) total
continuing education hours shall be related to ethics.
Section 2. Accrual of Continuing
Education Hours Mandatory for Temporary Licensure; Computation of Accrual. (1)
A person who holds a temporary license as an interpreter shall have earned a total
of eighteen (18) hours of approved continuing education during the compliance
period, prior to renewal or extension of his or her license for the next
licensure period.
(2) A minimum of seven and one-half (7.5)
of the eighteen (18) hours shall be from any of the following sources, alone or
in combination;
(a) Alexander Graham Bell Association for
the Deaf;
(b) American Sign Language Teacher
Association;
(c) National Association of the Deaf;
(d) National Educational Interpreters
Conference;
(e) Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
- Certificated Maintenance Program; or
(f) Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
- Associate Continuing Education Training.
(3) A minimum of three (3) total
continuing hours shall be related to ethics.
Section 3. Methods of Acquiring
Continuing Education Hours. Continuing education hours applicable to the
renewal of the license shall be directly related to the professional growth and
development of an interpreter. The hours shall be earned by completing any of
the following educational activities:
(1) Programs not requiring board review
and approval. An educational program from any of the following providers shall
be deemed to be relevant to the practice of interpreting and shall be approved
without further review by the board:
(a) A program sponsored or approved by
the:
1. Alexander Graham Bell Association of
the Deaf;
2. American Sign Language Teacher
Association;
3. National Association of the Deaf; or
4. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;
or
(b) An academic course offered by an
accredited postsecondary institution that is directly related to interpreting.
Credit shall only be granted for grades of "C" or above.
(2) Programs requiring board review and
approval. A program from any of the following sources shall be reviewed and
determined if the program is relevant and therefore subsequently approved by
the board:
(a) Relevant programs, including home
study courses and in-service training provided by other organizations,
educational institutions, or other service providers approved by the board;
(b) Relevant programs or academic courses
presented by the licensee. Presenters of relevant programs or academic courses
may earn full continuing education credit for each contact hour of instruction,
not to exceed three (3) hours of continuing education credits. Credit shall not
be issued for repeated presentation of the same course.
(c) Authoring an article in a relevant,
professionally-recognized, or juried publication. Credit shall not be granted
for an article unless the article was published within the one (1) year period
immediately preceding the renewal date. A licensee shall earn three (3) hours
of continuing education credit toward the hours required for renewal. No more
than one (1) publication shall be counted during a renewal period.
(d) A general education course, elective
course, or a course designed to meet degree requirements offered by an
accredited postsecondary institution. Academic credit equivalency for continuing
education hours shall be based on one (1) credit hour equals 10 continuing
education hours. Credit shall only be granted for grades of "C" or
above.
Section 4. Procedures for Preapproval of
Continuing Education Sponsors and Programs. (1) Any entity seeking to obtain
approval of a continuing education program prior to its offering shall complete
and submit the Application for Continuing Education Program Approval form to
the board at least sixty (60) days in advance of the commencement of the program,
stating the following:
(a) A published course or similar
description containing educational objectives;
(b) Names and qualifications of the
instructors;
(c) A copy of the program agenda
indicating hours of instruction, coffee and lunch breaks; and
(d) Number of continuing education hours offered;
(2) A continuing education activity shall
be qualified for approval if the board determines the activity being offered:
(a) Is an organized program of learning;
(b) Pertains to subject matters, which
integrally relate to the practice of interpreting;
(c) Contributes to the professional
competency of the licensee; and
(d) Is conducted by individuals who have
educational training or experience acceptable to the board.
(3) A sponsor of continuing education
requiring board approval shall be responsible for submitting a course offering
to the board for review and approval before listing or advertising that
offering as approved by the board.
Section 5. Responsibilities and Reporting
Requirements of Licensees. A licensee shall be responsible for obtaining the
required continuing education hours. He shall identify his own continuing education
needs, take the initiative in seeking continuing education activities to meet
these needs, and seek ways to integrate new knowledge, skills and attitudes.
Each person holding a license shall:
(1) Select approved activities by which
to earn continuing education hours;
(2) Submit to the board when applicable a
request for approval for continuing education activities not approved by the
board as set forth in Section 7 of this administrative regulation;
(3) Maintain records of continuing
education hours. Each licensee shall maintain all documentation verifying
successful completion of continuing education hours for a period of two (2)
years from the date of renewal. During each licensure renewal period, up to
fifteen (15) percent of all licensees, chosen at random, shall be required by
the board to furnish documentation of the completion of the appropriate number
of continuing education hours for the current renewal period. Verification of
continuing education hours shall not be otherwise reported to the board;
(4) Document attendance and participation
in a continuing education activity in the form of official documents including
transcripts, certificates, affidavits signed by instructors, receipts for fees
paid to the sponsor, or less formal evidence including written summaries of experience
that are not otherwise formally or officially documented in any way. The type
of documentation required shall vary depending on the specific activity
submitted to the board for approval; and
(5) Fully comply with the provisions of
this administrative regulation. Failure to comply shall constitute a violation
of KRS 309.318(1)(e) and may result in the refusal to renew, suspension, or
revocation of the licensure.
Section 6. Procedures for Approval of
Continuing Education Programs. A course, which has not been preapproved by the
board, may be used for continuing education if approval is secured from the
board for the course. In order for the board to adequately review a program,
the following information shall be submitted:
(1) A published course or similar
description containing educational objectives; and
(2) Names and qualifications of the
instructors.
Section 7. Carry Over of Continuing
Education Hours. A licensee may carry over continuing education hours earned in
excess of those required under Section 1 of this administrative regulation for
one (1) renewal period, after which time they expire. All carry-over hours
shall comply with the requirements of Sections 1 through 3 of this
administrative regulation.
Section 8. Board to Approve Continuing
Education Hours; Appeal when Approval Denied. In the event of a denial, in
whole or in part, of any application for approval of continuing education
hours, the licensee shall have the right to request reconsideration by the
board of its decision. The request shall be in writing, specifically stating
the reasons for reconsideration, and shall be received by the board within
thirty (30) days of the board’s decision denying approval of continuing
education hours.
Section 9. Waiver or Extensions of
Continuing Education. All requests for waiver or extension shall accompany the
License Renewal Application Form. (1) Upon written request, the board shall
consider whether to grant a waiver of continuing education requirements or an
extension of time within which to fulfill the requirements, in the following
cases:
(a) Medical disability of the licensee;
(b) Illness of the licensee or an immediate
family member;
(c) Death or serious injury of an
immediate family member; or
(d) For good cause shown.
(2) A written request for a waiver or
extension of time involving medical disability or illness shall be:
(a) Submitted by the person holding a
license; and
(b) Accompanied by a verifying document
signed by a licensed physician.
(3) A request for a waiver or extension
of the continuing education requirements applies only to the current licensure
year.
(a) Subsequent requests for waiver or extension
of the continuing education requirements shall be made at the time of licensure
renewal.
(b) There shall be no limit to the number
of waivers or extensions that the board may grant, as long as the applicant
meets the requirements set forth in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.
Section 10. Continuing Education
Requirements for Reinstatement of License. (1) A person requesting
reinstatement of licensure shall submit evidence of completion of required
hours of continuing education within the twelve (12) month period immediately
preceding the date on which the request for reinstatement is submitted to the
board.
(2) If the person seeking reinstatement
does not meet the requirements established in subsection (1) of this section,
the board may conditionally reinstate licensure, requiring the applicant to obtain
required hours of continuing education within six (6) months of the date on
which licensure is reinstated.
(3) The continuing education hours
received in compliance with this section for reinstatement shall be in addition
to the regular continuing education requirements established in Section 1 of
this administrative regulation and shall not be used to comply with the requirements
of that section.
Section 11. Incorporation by Reference. (1)
"Application for Continuing Education Program Approval", 10/2011,
form is incorporated by reference.
(2) This material may be inspected,
copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Division of
Occupations and Professions, 911 Leawood Drive, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (28 Ky.R. 1264; Am. 1610; eff.
1-14-2002; 32 Ky.R. 2335; 33 Ky.R. 387; eff. 9-1-06; 38 Ky.R. 1651; eff.
6-1-2012; TAm eff. 6-1-2012.)
