20-4-101. System and definitions of teacher and specialist certification -- student teacher exception. (1) In order to establish a uniform system of quality education and to ensure the maintenance of professional standards, a system of teacher and specialist certification shall be established and maintained under the provisions of this title and no person shall be permitted to teach in the public schools of the state until he has obtained a teacher certificate or specialist certificate or the district has obtained an emergency authorization of employment from the state.
     (2) As used in this part, "teacher or specialist certificate" means a certificate issued or applied for under 20-4-106. The term "teacher or specialist" refers to a person certified under 20-4-106.
     (3) The above certification requirement shall not apply to a student teacher who is hereby defined as a student enrolled in an institution of higher learning approved by the board of regents of higher education for teacher training and who is jointly assigned by such institution of higher learning and the governing board of a district or a public institution to perform practice teaching in a nonsalaried status under the direction of a regularly employed and certificated teacher.
     (4) A student teacher, while serving such nonsalaried internship under the supervision of a certificated teacher, shall be accorded the same protection of the laws as that accorded a certificated teacher and shall, while acting as such student teacher, comply with all rules of the governing board of the district or public institution and the applicable provisions of 20-4-301 relating to the duties of teachers.

     History: En. 75-6001 by Sec. 71, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 396, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6001; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 511, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 227, L. 1987.