Educator Licensure/PLSB/OEE Update

1
Educator Licensure/PLSB/OEE Update
presented by ADE Ivy Pfeffer, Assistant
Commissioner Sandra Hurst, Director of Educator
Effectiveness Karli Saracini, Director of
Educator Licensure Cheryl Reinhart, Director of
PLSB
June 5, 2015
2
Develop, Support, Retain
Ivy Pfeffer Assistant Commissioner
3
The Attorney Generals Office

• Acts with Emergency clauses take effect when the
  Governor signs.
• Effectual date for all acts without emergency
  clauses is July 22, 2015
• Acts with specified effect date take effect on
  the date specified in the legislation.

4
The Educator Workforce
5
Attract, Support, Retain
Sandra Hurst Director of Educator Effectiveness
6
Act 1091 of 2015

• Professional Learning Plan
• The overall school district plan
• And
• Professional Growth Plan
• An individual educators plan under
• TESS or LEADS

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
7
Act 1091 of 2015

• Required Professional Development Hours
• ½ based on the Educators PGP
• New Educators Teachers and Administrators
• Develop PGP 1st Semester Act on goals 2nd
  semester, aligned with Mentoring Modules

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-026 4/27/2015
8
Act 1091 of 2015 (contd)

• Virtual Environment Teacher
• May be observed by appropriate technology

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
9
Act 1091 of 2015 (contd)

• School District and Public Charter Statement of
  Assurance
• TESS Evaluators are trained
• TESS Evaluators are credentialed

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
10
Act 1091 of 2015 (contd)

• Summative Evaluations
• Now required every 4 years
• Informal Observations
• Now permissive in Summative Year

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
11
AR-TESS Teacher Tracks
Track 1 Probationary/ Novice
Track 2 Interim Teacher Appraisal Process

• Year 3 SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
• FORMAL OBSERVATION Pre and Post Conference
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - may be conducted
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• SUMMATIVE EVALUATION MEETING - summative rating
  results over all components

• 2A SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
• FORMAL OBSERVATION Pre and Post Conference
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - focusing on PGP growth
  components
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• SUMMATIVE EVALUATION MEETING - summative rating
  results over all components

Track 3 Intensive Support Status

• SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
• COLLABORATIVE INTENSIVE PGP review and/or
  revise often
• MAY INCLUDE INFORMAL AND FORMAL OBSERVATIONS
• FREQUENT TEACHER EVALUATOR CONFERENCES
• Note Teacher may remain in this track for two
  semesters and two additional semesters may be
  added if improvement is observed.

• 2B3 INTERIM APPRAISAL
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - focusing on PGP growth
  components
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• END OF YEAR REVIEW - professional practice
  rating

• Year 2 SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
• FORMAL OBSERVATION Pre and Post Conference
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - may be conducted
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• SUMMATIVE EVALUATION MEETING - summative rating
  results over all components

• 2B2 INTERIM APPRAISAL
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - focusing on PGP growth
  components
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• END OF YEAR REVIEW - professional practice
  rating

• Year 1 SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
• FORMAL OBSERVATION Pre and Post Conference
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - may be conducted
• COLLABORATIVE PGP Develop PGP
• SUMMATIVE EVALUATION MEETING - summative rating
  results over all components

• 2B1 INTERIM APPRAISAL
• INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS - focusing on PGP growth
  components
• COLLABORATIVE PGP review and/or revise
• END OF YEAR REVIEW - professional practice
  rating

Student growth will be a component of the
educators overall rating. Student growth data
will be available after the performance rating is
established each year, in both summative and
interim appraisal tracks.
1) A first year teacher is both a novice and
probationary teacher. 2)"Probationary teacher"
means a teacher who has not completed three (3)
successive years of employment in the school
district in which the teacher is currently
employed. A teacher employed in a school district
in this state for three (3) years or a teacher
who has been given credit for a prior service in
another school district shall be deemed to have
completed the probationary period however, an
employing school district may, by a majority vote
of the directors, provide for one (1) additional
year of probationary status. Arkansas Code
6-17-1502
TESS does not conflict with, nor replace the
Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismissal Act (ATFDA).
Revised 4/3/15
12
AR-LEADS Evaluation Categories
Probationary/ Novice Category
Inquiry Category

• Summative Evaluation Year
• Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised
• Formative Assessment Conferences
• Summative Evaluation Conference
• Over all required functions PGP is revised based
  on feedback from evaluations

Year 3 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating Year 3 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating

Year 2 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating Year 2 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating

Year 1 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating Year 1 Professional Growth Plan Monitored and Revised Formative Assessment Conferences Summative Evaluation Conference Over all required functions PGP is revised based on feedback from evaluations Student growth Data included with professional practice rating
Intensive Category

• Intensive Growth Plan (IGP)
• Develop based on identified
• areas of need
• Multiple Formative Assessment Conferences and
  Observation of PGP Progress
• Multiple conferences between
  principal/supervisor to monitor progress
• Summative Evaluation Conference to
  discuss final ratings (formative work of IGP
  considered)
• Note An administrator may remain in the
  Intensive Category for up to 2 consecutive
  semesters. Two additional semesters may be added
  if progress is observed.

• Interim Appraisal
• (Non-Summative Years)
• PGP
• Focus on and review throughout the year
• Collect evidence and artifacts
• Reflect on Progress
• Revise as needed
• Conversations
• Focus on PGP and evidence
• End of Year Conference
• Professional Growth Plan and performance rating
  results based on functions outlined in PGP

-Interim Appraisal is 3 years of the 4 Year
Inquiry Category cycle -Student Growth Data will
be included in an Administrators Yearly
Rating Revised 4.8.15
13
Act 1091 of 2015 (contd)

• Repeals the use of external assessments in
  teacher evaluations as originally set out in the
  law Replaces the old language with the method
  for assigning an annual overall rating that
  includes student growth as determined by the SBE
  (aligns with ESEA requirements but leaves
  flexibility for state to make changes within
  rules and regs)
• Annual Overall Rating
• During Summative Years, all components are rated
• During Interim Appraisal
• Student Growth

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
14
Training for Currently Employed Administrators
Teachers

• Administrators
• Law and Process Update
• ADE Website Approximately one hour
• Should be reviewed prior to the start of the
  2015-16 SY

• Teachers
• Law and Process Update
• ADE Website Approximately one hour
• Should be reviewed prior to the start of the
  2015-16 SY

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-026 4/27/2015
15
Training for Currently Employed Administrators
and Teachers

• Administrators
• TESS LEADS Support Training Calibration and
  Coaching- summer 2015
• -Co-ops

• Teachers
• Arkansas IDEAS new modules aligned to Framework
  for Teaching
• BloomBoard for Teachers training
• - Co-ops

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-026 4/27/2015
16
Training for Beginning Administrators and Novice
Teachers

• Administrators
• 3 hour law and process (will include TESS and
  LEADS)
• Offered at AAEA summer and fall conferences as
  part of BA induction
• Teachscape Credentialing for proficiency
• Accounts can be secured as soon as administrator
  is hired (see ADE Commissioner memo)

• Teachers
• 3 hour law and process
• Teachers from Out of state or those who have not
  been in an educator preparation program in the
  past 2 years
• Recommended for all new teachers
• Training at co-op or at district using ADE
  provided materials
• Framework for Teaching-
• Out of state or those who have not been in an
  educator preparation program in the past 2
  years-
• Recommended for all new teachers
• Online training accounts will be provided to
  schools completion of all modules takes
  approximately 24 hours total required hours at
  discretion of district

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-026 4/27/2015
17
Arkansas BloomBoard Training

• Administrators
• A BloomBoard training session will be held at the
  AAEA Summer conference
• Train administrator on how to use the tool to
  initiate observations, how to collect data, how
  to rate performance and prescribe resources
• Co-ops may wish to provide updates for effective
  BloomBoard use

• Teachers
• A BloomBoard Teacher Training will be held at
  co-ops this summer
• New teachers will need training on technical
  aspects of BloomBoard as well
• District Provided
• By SuperUsers
• Peers
• BloomBoard Webinars
• At co-ops

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-026 4/27/2015
18
New TESS LEADS Resource

• On ADE Teacher Evaluation System Home Page
• Training Requirements Documents
• TESS LEADS Charts
• TESS LEADS Forms
• BloomBoard Information

19
ADE CM LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
20
ADE CM LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
21
ADE CM LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
22
ADE CM LIC-15-029 5/22/2015
23
Update Focus for 2015-16
TESS LEADS Focus Groups (May , 2015) 29
Groups 197 Educators 91 Districts and Charters

1. Sharing Information
2. TESS LEADS Update Responses

ADE Commissioners Memo LIC-15-021 3/30/2015
24
Commissioners Memos
Number Content
LIC 15-029 TESS Statute Updates
LIC-15-026 TESS LEADS Training Update
LIC-15-024 Beginning Administrator and Novice Teacher Mentoring Update
LIC-15-023 Beginning Administrator TEACHSCAPE Accounts

25
Prepare and Extend
Karli Saracini Director of Educator Licensure
26
New Educator Licensure Areas
27
Dyslexia Therapist

• The Educator Preparation section is currently
  working with Institutions of Higher Education
  (IHE) on the creation and approval of programs of
  study for the Dyslexia Therapist Endorsement
  (Grades K-12). 
• Approved Program
• Harding University
• Program Currently Under Review
• Arkansas State University
• Henderson State University
• UA Fayetteville
• UA Little Rock
• University of Central Arkansas
• Letter of Interest Submitted
• Arkansas Tech University
• Southern Arkansas University
• UA Pine Bluff
• All programs will be graduate level and will lead
  to an endorsement to a standard educator license.

28
Act 187 Computer Science

• Act 187 of 2015 mandates each public high school
  and public charter school to offer a course in
  computer science beginning in 2015-16 school
  year. LS-15-067
• 4 Courses Approved to fulfill Act 187
• Essentials of Computer Programming 460020
• Computer Science License- (528)
• Business License- (250, 224, 225)
• Computer Science and Mathematics
• 439100-Math License (200)
• 460050- CS or Business License (528 or 250,
  225,225)
• AP Computer Science 560050
• IB Computer Science 560060
• See secondary licensure codes at
  http//www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/HR_an
  d_Educator_Effectiveness/HR_Educator_Licensure/NEW
  _AREAS_AND_LEVELS_BY_CODES_2-11-2013.pdf

29
Computer Science

• At its May 2015 meeting, the State Board of
  Education adopted the Praxis Computer Science
  (5651) test with a cut score of 171 effective
  immediately. This test is required for Computer
  Science (4-12) licensure.
• Options
• Adding to an existing license through testing
• Obtaining a first-time license through a
  nontraditional PPTL, MAT, APPEL
• Utilizing Virtual Arkansas to teach a required
  course

30
Computer Science

• The Praxis Computer Science (5651) 2015-2016
  Testing Windows
•     June 15-26, 2015
•    August 10-22, 2015
•    Sept 8-19, 2015
•    Nov 2-14, 2015
•    Feb 1-13, 2016
•    April 4-16, 2016
•    July 4-16, 2016
• Assessment fee reimbursement is available to
  eligible test takers (TBA).

31
Provisional Professional Teaching License
Definition A three-year provisional educator
license issued to an experienced professional for
the purpose of teaching middle or secondary in an
Arkansas public or charter school.
32
Provisional Professional Teaching License
33
Provisional Professional Teaching License
34
Waiver Requests/ALP, ALCP

• An educator must
• Hold a standard Arkansas educator license in a
  licensure content area or a provisional license
  issued by reciprocity only lacking AR History (if
  applicable), or
• Meet the teaching and administrative experience
  requirement for ALCP.
• Additional Licensure Plan (ALP)
• Apply within 30 school days of hiring an
  educator
• Completed Waiver Request Form
• Plan of Study For Adding a Licensure Area Form
• Timeline
• ALP Form
• Administrator Licensure Completion Plan (ALCP)
• Completed Waiver Request Form
• Plan of Study for Adding a Licensure Area Form
• Timeline
• Completed ALCP Form
• Documentation of required experience

35
Act 1240 School District Waivers

• Allows schools districts to be granted the same
  waivers that are granted to an open-enrollment
  public charter that draws students from the
  school district.
• Must petition State Board of Education
• Charter Waivers are posted on ADE website
• If not a charter, schools must continue to employ
  licensed teachers in core content areas.
• Licensure is a requirement for HQT in core areas

36
Act 1090 (HB 1651) - Licensure Provisions

• Professional development
• Clarifies the granting of professional
  development credit for college courses and allows
  school districts to make the decision about
  approving those hours (not the department)
•  
• Employment / Ethics
• Prohibits a person whose license is suspended or
  revoked to work as an employee in a public school
• Student teachers at a school district are held to
  the Code of Ethics and may have sanctions applied
  to their license when (or if) one is issued
• Allows certain information concerning ethical
  violations resulting in suspension or revocation
  of a license to be publicly viewed on the
  departments online licensure system

37
Act 1090 (HB 1651) - Licensure Provisions

• Licensure by Reciprocity
• Technical correction to clarify that the waiver
  of assessment to a person applying for
  reciprocity for the first-time applies only to
  the first-time license. This prevents someone
  from not testing if they are adding an area to an
  existing license
• Removes the requirement for a teacher licensing
  by reciprocity with 3 years of experience to pass
  a basic skills assessment

38
Act 1090 (HB 1651) - Licensure Provisions

• Nontraditional Licensure
• Allows the departments nontraditional program
  (APPEL) to refuse to admit someone who has been
  dismissed from a university teacher preparation
  program
• Clarifies that a provisional license issued to a
  teacher in Teach for America, Arkansas Teacher
  Corps, etc., will be issued under the rules for
  provisional licensure for a nontraditional
  applicant
• Allows certain licensure applicants to meet the
  Arkansas history requirement through a 45-hour
  ArkansasIDEAS course instead of a college course.
  Applies to
• reciprocity
• nontraditional program
• adding an endorsement to an existing license

39
Act 1090 (HB 1651) - Licensure Provisions

• Certain Expired Licenses
• Amends an outdated law for renewing a license
  obtained before 1988. This will require content
  area testing and professional development if a
  teacher
• has a license issued before the state required
  content area testing
• the license expired for more than one year
• has taught less than 3 years

40
Act 1121 (SB 744) - ABCTE

• American Board for Certification of Teacher
  Excellence (ABCTE)
• Graduates may apply for provisional licensure as
  a candidate from an accelerated teaching program,
  similar to Teach for America (TFA) and the
  Arkansas Teacher Corps (UAF).
• Under agreement with the Department, ABCTE
  candidates will be granted a provisional license
  for up to three (3) years.
• To receive a standard license in specific
  licensure areas (identified in a Memorandum of
  Understanding with ADE), an ABCTE candidate will
  need to
• have participated in the states mentoring
  program for two (2) years,
• have a proficient or distinguished evaluation by
  the end of the third year, and
• be recommended for licensure by their
  superintendent.

41
Professionalism and Ethics
Cheryl Reinhart Director of Professional
Licensure Standards Board
42
Act 1089 (HB 1650) - Background Checks

• Background Check Process - Generally
• School districts, charter schools, and education
  service cooperatives must initiate the state and
  federal background checks through the Arkansas
  State Police online system both state and
  federal run at the same time.
• After July 1, 2016, educational entities are
  required to use electronic fingerprinting
  (livescan) as the primary fingerprinting
  method. Fingerprint cards will only be accepted
  after the livescan fingerprinting is attempted
  and fails to produce adequate fingerprints.

43
Act 1089 (HB 1650) - Background Checks

• Background Checks for Licensure
• Requires preservice teachers to have the same
  background checks as licensed educators
• Allows the FBI to maintain fingerprints
• Expunged, sealed, and pardoned records that are
  over ten (10) years old, unless the offense
  involves violence or abuse, will no longer be
  disqualifying
• Allows a school district to provisionally employ
  a teacher while the teacher is seeking a waiver
  from the State Board
• Clarifies that an applicant for a lifetime
  teaching license will have criminal and child
  maltreatment background checks

44
Act 1089 (HB 1650) - Background Checks

• Background Checks for Classified Employees
• Allows an educational entity to grant a waiver
  for employees in classified staff positions, such
  as substitute teachers, who are contracted
  through an outside vendor this was previously
  not possible
• All classified staff positions at school
  districts, including those staffed by outside
  vendors, are required to clear the background
  checks for employment
• Expunged, sealed, and pardoned records that are
  over ten (10) years old, unless the offense
  involves violence or abuse, will no longer be
  disqualifying

45
Teaching as a Profession

• Professionalism
• Act 1090 (HB 1651) addresses professionalism by
• Requiring that student teachers in an internship
  at a school district are held to the Code of
  Ethics and may have sanctions applied to their
  license when (or if) one is issued
• Prohibiting a person whose license is suspended
  or revoked to work as an employee in a public
  school.
• Allowing certain information concerning ethical
  violations resulting in suspension or revocation
  of a license to be publicly viewed on the
  departments online licensure system.

Requires diligent self-monitoring and learning
Permeates the teachers professional experience
Begins with training