(1) To obtain a superintendent endorsement an applicant must provide verification of all of the following:

(a) a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience as an appropriately licensed and assigned Class 1 or 2 teacher or Class 6 school counselor; and

(b) a minimum of 18 semester graduate credits in a school administrator preparation program, of which 12 must be beyond the master's degree, in each of the following content areas:

(i) organizational leadership;

(ii) instructional leadership;

(iii) facilities planning and policy;

(iv) personnel and labor relations;

(v) community and board relations;

(vi) policy development; and

(vii) three semester credits of college coursework in Montana school law and three semester credits of college coursework in Montana school finance.

(2) In addition to the requirements detailed in (1), every applicant must provide verification of either:

(a) an education specialist degree or doctoral degree in education leadership from an accredited professional educator preparation program as defined in ARM 10.57.102(3); and

(b) a minimum of one year of administrative experience as an appropriately licensed principal or one year of a supervised Board of Public Education approved administrative internship as a superintendent; or

(c) a master's degree in educational leadership from an accredited professional educator preparation program or a master's degree in education from an accredited program; and

(i) licensure and endorsement as a K-12 principal; and

(ii) a minimum of one year of administrative experience as defined in ARM 10.57.102(20) or a minimum of one year of a supervised Board of Public Education approved administrative internship as superintendent.

(3) A Class 3 administrative license endorsed as a superintendent shall be renewed as follows:

(a) for those applicants meeting all licensure requirements at the time of initial application, verification of 60 renewal units earned during the valid term of the license; or

(b) for those applicants not meeting the requirement of (1)(b)(vii), verification of three semester credits of college coursework in Montana school law and three semester credits of college coursework in Montana school finance earned during the valid term of the initial Class 3 license.