Kentucky's Education Professional Standards Board approved major revisions to the state's teacher certification structure on Aug. 18, 2026, adopting overlapping grade bands for elementary, middle, and secondary certificates, creating new pathways in science and computer science, and loosening student teaching placement rules. The changes amend two regulations: 16 KAR 2:010, covering professional and provisional certificates, and 16 KAR 5:040, governing student teaching admission, placement, and supervision.
Grade band changes
Under the amended regulations, the elementary certificate shifts from primary through grade 5 to kindergarten through grade 6. The middle school certificate expands from grades 5 through 9 to grades 4 through 9. The secondary certificate moves from grades 8 through 12 to grades 7 through 12. The prior regulation allowed grade 6 under the elementary certificate only in self-contained classrooms or when housed with grade 5 in the same building, according to the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
The new structure creates overlapping bands at grades 4 through 6, where both elementary and middle school certificates are valid, and at grades 7 through 9, where both middle and secondary certificates apply. The Education Certification Structure Workgroup, which began meeting in December 2024, initially considered a K-8 and 7-12 model but rejected it. The workgroup concluded that the K-8/7-12 approach would require too many changes to educator preparation programs and could make adequate teacher preparation more difficult, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Middle school certificate holders will be authorized to teach grades 4 and 5 only in departmentalized classroom settings, the workgroup's recommendations specified.
New pathways and student teaching flexibility
The amendments add a secondary general science certificate and establish a formal pathway for certified teachers in secondary sciences to add additional science credentials. They also create a pathway for certified teachers to receive approval to teach specified computer science courses. Under the prior regulation, computer science was listed as an endorsement only for grades 8 through 12, according to the engrossed version of 16 KAR 2:010.
The revisions to 16 KAR 5:040 provide greater flexibility in cooperating teacher eligibility and student placements, while clarifying expectations for remote observations and dual certification, according to Melissa Diebel, academic program manager for the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Board of Education. The prior regulation required cooperating teachers to have at least three years of teaching experience as a certified educator and explicitly barred those holding provisional or emergency certificates from serving as cooperating teachers, according to the Cornell Legal Information Institute. The amended version of 16 KAR 5:040 takes effect Sept. 26, 2026.
Candidates pursuing dual certification in elementary and special education must continue to complete placements in both elementary and middle or high school settings. A waiver process remains available when completing both placements is not possible, but Diebel stated that waivers should remain the exception, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Workgroup process and comparative review
The Education Certification Structure Workgroup, composed of principals, teachers, school counselors, human resource officers, university leaders, state lawmakers, and other educator stakeholder groups, met over 20 months. It reviewed state and national data and considered how other states structure certification before finalizing its recommendations. The workgroup also recommended expanding permissions for middle school math (grades 5 through 9) to include Algebra I and geometry, and keeping the current system of specialized certificates for special education teachers unchanged, according to the Kentucky Teacher.