SB 1021 - Currently, a policy of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education allows teachers who have at least five years of teaching experience and who possess national board certification to automatically become eligible for stage III of the career ladder program. This act directs the Commissioner of Education to cause the department to regard a speech pathologist who holds both a valid certificate of license to teach and a Certificate of Clinical Competence to have fulfilled the standards required to be placed on Stage III of the career ladder program, provided that such speech pathologist has been employed by a public school in Missouri for at least five years. A provision similar to this act is included in the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 968 and SCS/SB 969. DONALD THALHUBER