Professional Standards Commission Update for System Leaders GAEL

Professional Standards Commission Update for System Leaders GAEL Summer Conference July 10, 2007

Want Details? Special Interest Session Q&A with PSC DIRECTORS Atlantic Hall: 1: 30 -2: 45 3: 00 -4: 15

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission is a Regulatory Agency charged with Establishing and Enforcing Standards for Educator Preparation, Certification and Professional Conduct.

State Program Audits are always fun! The PSC Program Audit Dated April 2007 produced some interesting results.

PSC Program Audit 2007 School System Survey Results 94% Said The Certification Process Has Been Simplified Over The Past Four Years. (88 OF 94 RESPONDENTS)

PSC Program Audit 2007 School System Survey Results 96% Said The Certification Process Has Been Made More Efficient In The Past Four Years. (90 OF 94 RESPONDENTS)

PSC Program Audit 2007 School System Survey Results 78% Were “Very Satisfied” With The Time Required To Process Applications For Initial Certification. (65 OF 83 RESPONDENTS)

PSC Program Audit 2007 School System Survey Results 95% Were “Very Satisfied” With The Amount Of Time Required To Process Applications For Renewal. (88 OF 93 RESPONDENTS)

BUT…

The PSC Audit Headline Read “Although the commission is meeting its statutory mandates, the state continues to face teacher shortages. ”

The Purpose of the Professional Standards Commission is to Provide a POOL of Qualified Educators to serve the children of Georgia

Certified 686 Employed per the CPI 2310

Certified 1081 Employed per the CPI 1466

The problem is that the Pool is not geographically distributed across the state!

Solving the Teacher Distribution / Shortage Problem Will Require the Coordinated Effort of All Educational Agencies.

ALLIANCE GOALS 1. Increase Graduation Rates 2. Strengthen Teacher Quality, Recruitment, Retention 3. Improve Workforce Readiness Skills 4. Develop Strong Leaders, Especially at Building Level 5. Improve SAT / ACT

ALLIANCE GOALS 1. Increase Graduation Rates 2. Strengthen Teacher Quality, Recruitment, Retention 3. Improve Workforce Readiness Skills 4. Develop Strong Leaders, Especially at Building Level 5. Improve SAT / ACT

The Statement in the Audit Resulted in a Change in the PSC Organization Structure

The New Structure reflects our Legislated Mandates as a REGULATORY agency. Our Structure now includes the: • • Educator Preparation Division Certification Division Ethics Division Administrative/Support Units

Educator Preparation Division

Educator Preparation Division Director: Fran Watkins Purpose: Establish and enforce standards used to prepare teachers, service personnel and school leaders and accredit educator preparation programs whose students receive state certification. Programs: • Program Accreditation: • Educator Testing: • Teacher Recruitment: Tom Hall Linda Holloman Cyndy Stephens

Routes to Certification Traditional Routes - Obtaining a Georgia certificate by completing a state-approved educator preparation program, usually at a college or university. Alternative Routes - Obtaining a Georgia certificate while working as an educator. Designed for "career switchers" who already hold degrees and have various life experiences, as well as former educators with expired or invalid certificates who wish to return to the classroom.

Alternative Routes 1. Teacher Alternative Preparation Program (TAPP) For individuals, usually "career switchers", who hold a PSCaccepted college degree but did not complete teacher education requirements. Eligible candidates are accepted into TAPP with employment at a participating school. Complete a two-year internship/induction period and Special Georgia Requirements. Application for certificate must come from employing school system.

TAPP Total Enrollment 1013

Alternative Routes 2. Test-Based Option (1 -Year Supervised Practicum) Under specific situations, candidates holding a PSCaccepted college degree with appropriate GPA and a current job offer may, at the request of the employing school system, obtain a Non-Renewable certificate. Up-front eligibility also includes completion of the Basic Skills, Content and Professional Pedagogy Assessments. Application for certificate must come from employing school system.

Test-Based Option 1 -Year Supervised Practicum 3/8/2005 through 1/31/2007 Participants Total Math Science Sp. Ed. Other Clear Renewable Certificate Issued 425 87 69 86 183 207 51 41 38 77 Current Candidates in FY 07 221 School Districts Participating 85

HB 603 SB 72 3. Secondary, Advanced Degree Alternative Program • PSC Program: least restrictive standards; high-quality professional development; intensive supervision/structured guidance; demonstrates satisfactory progress toward full certification. • Local System must have PSC program approval; • Applicant must possess a Master’s, Doctoral, or Juris Doctorate Degree in the academic subject to be taught

Highly Qualified Teachers • 95. 7% of Georgia teachers are highly qualified. • This represents all teachers who hold some type of Georgia certificate and are assigned to the appropriate core academic content by the school system. Your assignment of teachers determines whether or not they are Highly Qualified.

TEACHER QUALITY EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF EXPERIENCED AND QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS WITH POOR AND MINORITY CHILDREN WHAT ARE YOU / WE DOING ABOUT IT? ? ?

Georgia’s Equity Plan Goals • Ensure that poor and minority children are not taught by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers at a higher rate than other children. • Ensure that children in low performing schools have access to equitable levels of instructional capacity.

Georgia’s Equity Plan Five Strategies 1. Collection and Dissemination of Information 2. Data Collection and Analysis of Highly Qualified Teacher Data 3. Monitoring of local school systems actions to achieve 100% highly qualified for all children 4. Research to develop instructional capacity measures for studying inequities 5. USDOE Annual Report of Georgia schools’ efforts to achieve 100% of highly qualified teachers for minority children and children in poverty

PSC’s Role in Georgia’s Equity Plan To make available accurate and appropriate data to assist local school systems in making decisions about their needs for and assignments of highly qualified teachers to teach children of poverty and minority children.

Teacher “Candidate” Recruitment

500, 000 page views/week Applications Posted 2002 30, 000 2003 34, 000 2004 36, 000 2005 108, 298 2006 107, 536 Vacancies 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Posted 5, 200 6, 500 7, 400 5, 749 6, 422

Participants 2002 136 2003 260 2004 305 2005 310 2006 559

PSC Recruitment Initiatives 3 Regional Teacher Recruiters • Identify Candidates • System Support

PSC Recruitment Initiatives Expand Enhance Alternative Route Programs • Contract with Coastal Plains RESA • Contract with Middle Georgia RESA

2007 -2008 GEORGIA EDUCATOR RECRUITER REGIONS North GA/Metro Region Northwest GA RESA North GA Metro Griffin Northeast GA Pioneer Southwest GA Region West GA Middle GA Chattahoochee-Flint Southwest Coastal Plains RESA Locations Southeast GA Region Oconee CSRA Heart of GA First District Okefenokee RESA

Educator Testing

BACKGROUND • DECISION TO CHANGE TESTS IN SUMMER OF 2005 • ALIGNED WITH: National Content Standards GA Performance Standards GA Ed Prep Standards • OVER 5, 000 GEORGIA EDUCATORS SERVED ON COMMITTEES • HUNDREDS MORE TOOK PART IN CONTENT VALIDATION SURVEYS

BACKGROUND (cont) • PHASE I: 40 Assessments • PHASE II: 5 Assessments • Computer Based Competency via Internet by NOV 15, 2007

BACKGROUND (cont) TEST TAKERS – NOV ’ 06 Thru MAY ’ 07** 28, 527 Individuals Have Taken a GACE Test 66, 470 Tests Have Been Taken 31, 639 Basic Skills Tests 1, 542 Paraprofessional Tests 35, 528 Content Tests 761 Professional Pedagogy Tests **NOTE: Does Not Include Separate Basic Skills Test Administered on June 30.

STILL TO COME • 2 ADDITIONAL TEST SITES IN NW AND SE GEORGIA Specific locations will be on web during registration • COMPUTER BASED COMPETENCY Available via Internet by November 15 • PARAPROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT Available via internet NOW to 45 Districts/RESAs 2 nd Sign-Up Letter to Superintendents this Summer • WORKING ON BASIC SKILLS TEST VIA INTERNET PHASE III-NEW TESTS/UPDATES DUE TO GPS CHANGES

COMPUTER SKILL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT • HB 1187, Special Georgia Requirement • Test-Out Option Online; No Cost to Educator Assess. Online Available Until 9/30/07 • GACE Version Available via Internet by 11/15/07 $$$ Will Cost Educator Money $$$

PSC GACE POINT OF CONTACT: LINDA HOLLOMAN linda. holloman@gapsc. com (404) 232 -2613

Certification Division

Certification Division Director: Phil Blackwell Purpose: Recommend and enforce certification policies and procedures, evaluate applications to determine issuance/denial status, maintain accurate certification records, and provide current certification information to the public and the educational community. Programs: • Certification Operations: Kelli Young • Teacher Recognition: Jane Huntley

CERTIFICATION RULE CHANGES EFFECTIVE DATE # CERT RULES Mar 15, 2006 Sep 1, 2006 Dec 15, 2006 26 18 12 Jul 15, 2007 14 TO BE INITIATED: Jul 26, 2007 Sep 13, 2007 Legislative Alternative Route (Adv Degree) Leadership

CERTIFICATION WORKLOAD FY 05 FY 06 TOTAL CERTS ISSUED RENEWED 115, 854 24, 666 220, 284** 22, 533 DOCUMENTS SCANNED 238, 096 256, 340 81, 894 89, 509 406 96 CERT PHONE CALLS BACKLOG AS OF AUG 1 **NOTE: Increase Due in Part to Sp. Ed, BF Social Science

Certification Phone Calls January - December 2006

Unsatisfactory Annual Appraisals STANDARD RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS Rule 505 -2 -. 24 (Effective 9/1/06) 3. The PSC shall maintain a central clearinghouse of information on Georgia educators receiving annual unsatisfactory performance appraisals or annual performance remediation. Each local school system is required to report this information on or before June 30 of the academic year in which the appraisal or remediation occurred. The local system superintendent is responsible for ensuring that this information is provided in an accurate and timely manner.

Annual Unsatisfactory Appraisals Entered Into Database 2005 - 441 Unsats and/or Remediation 2006 - 362 Unsats and/or Remediation 2007 - 682 Unsats and/or Remediation HOWEVER….

The 101 Systems Listed Below Have Never Reported Any Unsatisfactory Evaluations Atkinson County Atlanta City Bacon County Baker County Baldwin County Banks County Ben Hill County Berrien County Bleckley County Brantley County Bremen City Brooks County Bryan County Buford City Burke County Calhoun City Candler County Carrollton City Catoosa County Chattahoochee Co. Chickamauga City Clinch County Colquitt County Commerce City Coweta County Crawford County Crisp County Dade County Dublin City Early County Echols County Elbert County Evans County Fannin County Floyd County Gilmer County Glascock County Glynn County Grady County Greene County Habersham County Hall County Hancock County Hart County Heard County Irwin County Jackson County Jeff Davis County Jefferson City Jenkins County Johnson County Lanier County Laurens County Lincoln County Long County Lowdens County Macon County Marietta City Marion County Mc. Duffie County Miller County Montgomery County Oglethorpe County Paulding County Peach County Pelham City Pickens County Polk County Pulaski County Putnam County Rabun County Randolph County Screven County Seminole County Social Circle City Sumter County Taliaferro County Tattnall County Taylor County Telfair County Thomaston-Upson Co. Thomasville City Toombs County Towns County Treutlen County Trion City Turner County Twiggs County Union County Valdosta City Vidalia City Walker County Warren County Wayne County Webster County Wheeler County Whitfield County Wilcox County Wilkes County Wilkinson County Worth County 9 Of These Systems Cannot Report Because They Have No Operator With a Password!!

Teacher Recognition

2007 Master Teacher • 380 Applicants • • 93 Master Teachers 93 Master Teachers • 293 Total to date • (Approximately 23%of 293 Total to date (Approximately the applications) 23% of the • 115 School Systems applications) Participated • 115 School Systems Participated • 2008 Applications Accepted Beginning Nov 1, 2007

PSC MASTER TEACHER CONTACTS: jane. huntley@gapsc. com phyllis. payne@gapsc. com

Ethics Division

Ethics Division Director: Gary Walker Purpose: Establish and promote standards of professional conduct, investigate complaints, provide appeals, discipline educators who breach the Code of Ethics and store/retrieve documents related to educator conduct. Programs: Legal Section: Tanis Miller Investigations: John Grant

ETHICS WORKLOAD CASES REVIEWED OPENED INVESTIGATED % Of Opened, Investigated FY 05 2671 1956 1359 61% FY 07 2232** 1563 1202 58% NO PROBABLE CAUSE WARNING/REPRIMAND/SUS REVOKED/DENIED/SURR TOTAL SANCTIONS 1337 479 140 619 1095 351 125 476

GEORGIA APPLICANT PROCESSING SERVICE (GAPS) • Georgia Bureau of Investigation Project • State-Wide Livescan Fingerprint Service and FBI/GBI Background Check Vendor: Cogent Systems (FL, OH, TN, PA)

GAPS Project Status • PSC Ethics Division is Agency Point Of Contact to GBI; • 9 Regions and 65 Fingerprint Sites (fixed/mobile); Operational target date – Aug-Sep 2007 • If your school system already has a Livescan System in place, you are fine; you do NOT have to use GAPS. • As more information becomes available it will be posted on the PSC website.

Leadership Certification

A LOOK AHEAD A Framework for Educational Leadership Preparation Programs in Georgia

GEORGIA LEADER An Individual Who Has The Authority and/or Responsibility In A Supervisory Role For Educational Programs and/or Certified Personnel.

New Georgia Leadership Certificates Superintendent (PL-6/7) Building Leader (PL-6/7) System Leader (PL-6/7) Employment in an Educational Leadership Position Pre-Service Leadership Candidate (NL-5) Teacher Leader Endorsement

LEADERSHIP PREPARATION CHANGES Where are we NOW? • New Standards approved, effective April 15, 2007. • Current state approved programs will sunset on June 30, 2008. • L-5, L-6 and L-7 Leadership programs, based on new standards and performance based requirements are being developed. • New programs will be approved by July 1, 2008. • New state approved programs will begin in Fall 2008.

LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT CHANGES Where are we NOW? • The format of the GACE Leadership Assessment will be similar to other GACE assessments and will include two tests, both of which must be passed to meet the assessment requirement. • The GACE Leadership Assessment will be administered for the first time on June 14, 2008. • The last date the Praxis II Leadership test can be taken and used for Leadership certification in Georgia is March 15, 2008.

‘OLD’ GEORGIA CERTIFICATE HOLDERS What About Us? • Holders of L-5, L-6 or L-7 certificate: GRANDFATHERED KEEP LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE Certificate will NOT be Performance-Based. Continue to be eligible to be hired as leaders. Renew with standard requirements.

What if I am Enrolled in a Georgia Leadership Program? Complete Existing Program and • Pass Praxis Leadership test on, or before, Mar 15, 2008 • Pass GACE Leadership test on, or after, Jun 14, 2008 If in a Master’s program leading to L-5 certification: • Pass required assessment, and • Upon employment, enroll in a GA Performance-Based L-6 or L-7 Leadership Program

Proposed Timeline Apr ’ 07 Prep Rules Effective Jul ‘ 07 Institution report of progress Sep ’ 07** Cert Rules Initiated Nov ’ 07** Cert Rules Commission Vote Dec ’ 07** Cert Rules Effective Mar 15, ’ 08 Last ETS Leadership Test Jun 14, ’ 08 First GACE Leadership Test (**Target Dates)

Proposed Timeline Jun ’ 08 “Old” Prep Programs Sunset (No new students) Jul ’ 08 “New” Prep Programs Approved FALL ’ 08 “New” Prep Programs Open Aug 1, ‘ 08 For all completers of GA Leadership Programs, GACE Test must be passed

WANT MORE DETAILS? COME TO THE SPECIAL INTEREST SESSIONS AFTER LUNCH Q&A with PSC DIRECTORS Atlantic Hall: 1: 30 -2: 45 3: 00 -4: 15