AN UPDATE ON THE
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS AND
TEACHER
EDUCATION
BOARD
PREPARED BY:
MARYLAND STATE
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION · NEA
April 7, 2016

PSTEB GOALS:
Goal #1:Identify and addressinconsistencies and conflictsexisting in certification regulationthrough review of current statutes andappropriate actions.
Goal #2:Explore ways tomaximizeboth the traditional andnon-traditional preparation optionsleading to educator certification inMaryland.
Goal #3:Recognize and uphold highstandards for teacherquality through the certificationprocess.
Goal #4:Adopt new areas ofcertification required to meetshifting and expandingeducationalopportunities forstudents initiated by state andlocal stakeholders. / Action Items
  • Approved March 3, 2016 minutes, with correction
  • Agenda items for the May 5, 2016 meeting
  • The board will discuss and hear updates on:
  • Approval of April Minutes
  • State Board of Education (SBOE) Report
  • Legislative Session Recap
  • Continued Action on COMAR 13A.12.01
  • Discussion of COMAR 13A.12.01.10E
  • Discussion of COMAR 13A.12.01.27
  • NOTE Assessment
Preliminary Items
State Board Update– Ms. Miya Simpson
Ms. Miya Simpson, executive director, shared the SBOE updates:
  • SBOE received information on the following topics during the Informational session on 3-21:
  • Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Results by mode effect
  • Bridge plan for Academic Validation; and
  • Maryland Science Program
  • SBOE discussed the following topics during the 3-22 meeting:
  • Assessment and accountability: Graduation assessment requirement
  • An overview of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
  • Fine Arts Update
  • Legislative Update
  • SBOE approved Permission to Publish COMAR 13A.07.11Standards for Professional Learning.
  • It was noted that SBOE has begun the first round of interviews for the state superintendent.
Discussion Items
Legislative Update – Ms. Amanda Conn
  • Ms. Amanda Stakem Conn, Esq, executive director, Office of Government Relations, shared an overview of three bills: HB 617, SB 1126, and HB 921.
  • HB 617: Allowed Anne Arundel County to create its own system and create a position for adjunct professor for hard to fill areas of teaching. These teachers wouldn’t need to be certified; the position would bypass COMAR regulations. Status: That bill has not moved.
  • SB 1126/HB 1615 - Linking Youth to New Experiences (LYNX) High School - Pilot Program
  • Status:SB 1126 still in Senate being discussed; HB 1615 in House Rules.
  • Frederick county board supports this bill; it creates a new pilot high school.
  • Establishes a Linking Youth to New Experiences (LYNX) High School pilot program at Frederick High School (HS) in Frederick County based on a grant application.
  • The Frederick County Superintendent must develop and submit to the SBOE.
  • After receipt of the plan, the State Board shall consult with the Frederick County Superintendent to ensure that the plan is in the best interests of the students
  • SBOE shall grant the LYNX HS pilot program a waiver from enrollment and credit requirements, earning credit requirements, and procedures for implementing alternative programs to lead to a HS diploma, personnel requirements, online course approval, and any other regulations that conflict with the plan.
  • LYNX HS Pilot Program is exempt from state assessment requirements.
  • Heard last week in the Senate; senate committee began to work on it on 3/18 and 3/21.
  • SBOE decided not to take any position SB 1126/HB1615.
  • HB 921: Requires counselor to train on social emotional health of students. The bill came from Prince George’s county. Status: The bill has not moved out of the House.
Comments:
  • PSTEB members engaged in a discussion about the root cause behind HB 617 and SB 1126. It was also noted that Maryland needs to continue to help make the profession seen as rewarding so specialized individuals come into the field
  • PSTEB member stated that all teachers need to have both content knowledge as well as pedagogy of teaching skills. Even if they are a specialty area, these two skill sets are crucial in serving the diverse Maryland population.
  • Darren Hornbeck, PSTEB chair, asked clarification on SB 1126, what was the reason that caused the section on teacher certification to be removed/modified. Response: There was opposition from the teacher’s union about personnel waiver requirement and several members of the senate didn’t like the details within that bill.
COMAR 13A.12.01.14B. Waivers and Special Certification Provision
Ms. Sarah Spross, assistant state superintendent for Educator Effectiveness, and Ms. Kelly Meadows, branch chief, Educator Effectiveness, shared an overview of the COMAR. Currently, regulations require a local superintendent to recommend the waiver of the renewal requirement of a professionally certified individual who is 55 years old or older and has been employed for at least 25 years in a public or an approved nonpublic school. Since all nonpublic schools do not have superintendents, and those that do are not approved, the current regulation creates a barrier to career teachers employed by nonpublic schools. In addition, past practice has allowed some nonpublic schools to request this waiver, creating a bifurcated system.
Nonpublic schools fall into three distinct categories:
  • nonpublic schools approved under COMAR 13A.09.09 (private pay);
  • nonpublic schools approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 (publicly funded); and
  • registered church-exempt schools.
The first two types of schools are considered "approved" because they hold a Certificate of Approval issued by the MSDE. Registered church exempt schools are exempt from the education regulations set forth by the SBOE because they are governed and operated by a bona fide church organization (Education Article
§ 2-206). Each of these types of schools have different personnel requirements for teachers.
Publically funded and the approved nonpublic schools traditionally do not employ superintendents however, MSDE has routinely allowed the school head to request this waiver. Conversely, the Archdioceses schools, which are predominately registered as church exempt schools whoemploy a Superintendent, have not been afforded the opportunity to apply for this waiver.
This revision to the regulation, governing a superintendent's ability to request a waiver of the renewal requirements for any professionally certificated employee who is 55 years old or older; or who has been employed for at least 25 years, is being proposed to align the regulatory language with current MSDE policy and allow for all nonpublic school employees to apply for the waiver.
The item was presented for information.
COMAR 13A.12.01.02 Definitions
Ms. Meadows led PSTEB members on a discussion about definitions. She reviewed the three previous definitions that PSTEB agreed upon: Continuing Education Units (CEU) and Continuing Professional Development credits (CPD).
Proposal: to replace National Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) with the term “Department-recognized.” The reason is that NCATE no longer exists and has been replaced with CAEP. If CAEP were to change, it would require another revision of language. Therefore, it is best to make it less specific by choosing “Department-recognized.”
Highlights:
  • There exists a rising cost of accreditation. Maryland is finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation(CAEP). Maryland will not be signing an agreement with CAEP but an MOU for 1 year and 3months. This will provide a chance to get a small work group to study if the new CAEP standards are in the best interests of Maryland. In addition, it will provide Maryland the ability to propose changes to CAEP, if necessary.
  • A PSTEB member asked: is there any other accrediting body other than CAEP? Response: No
The item was presented for information.
COMAR 13A.12.01.05C(3) Acceptable Credit
Ms. Meadows shared that currently, regulations require acceptable credit to be earned within five years immediately preceding the date on which the certificate is issued. MSDE's past practice has been to interpret this to mean the five years preceding the issuance of a new certificate. However, some Local School Systems have expressed concern that the language is misleading because certificate validity dates are July 1 or January 1, by regulation. As such, if an individual takes courses in August and September and then requests a certificate to be reinstated, technically, the credits were not earned during the five years immediately preceding the issuance date. In some instances, a Local School System (LSS) may issue a reinstatement date with a validity period beginning January 1, rather than July 1, potentially causing an individual to lose their job or the LSS being unable to retain a teacher.
Clarification on conditional certificate requirements was provided. PSTEB must clarify the regulatory language and align it with current MSDE policy. This item will be brought next month for Permission to Publish.
The item was presented for information.
COMAR 13A.12.04.04B(3)(a) Administrator I
Mr. Dave Volrath shared an overview of the timeline for PSTEB regarding the move from the Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) as it pertains to the regulation for the Administrator I certificate.
  • In February 2005, Maryland developed and adopted the Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework.
  • In 2008, the nation followed Maryland's lead in producing the Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium (ISLLC Standards). Since that time, the ISLLC Standards have been used extensively as a means for validating principal preparation and licensure.
  • In 2013, a consortium of national educational stakeholders accepted the charge to convert the ISLLC Standards into new professional standards aligned to reflect contemporary educational leadership.
  • The new PSEL were constructed with sound research and practice. Over the course of two years, the PSEL were vetted in multiple audiences and refined.
  • In November 2015, they were presented to the National Policy Board for Educational Leaders for publication and ownership.
  • Since November 2015, the new Professional Standards for Educational Leaders have been embraced and endorsed by assistant principal, principal, principal supervisor, superintendent, and LEA focus groups.
  • PSTEB must revisit the regulation pertaining to the requirements for Administrator I certificate to align with the new PSEL.
  • This item will be brought next month for Permission to Publish.
The item was presented for information.
Legal Update
Mr. Derek Simmonsen, Esq., shared an advisory notice to PSTEB members about requirements for being an independent board. He provided an example by sharing a case from a dental board in North Carolina going after non-dental practices such as tooth whitening companies to end competitive practices. The reason the dental board took action was not for a health and safety reason, but because the other companies offered a cheaper price. SB 1083 requires a check on independent boards.PSTEB is a unique board; therefore, unsure if PSTEB would fall under these requirements.
Unique factors:
  • The members of the profession would have to be a controlling member of the board; PSTEB has different members with different interests.
  • The SBOE checks regulations passed by PSTEB.
  • PSTEB doesn’t revoke, provide or suspend licenses.
Out of caution, Mr. Simmonsen is bringing this to PSTEB and will keep them updated.
In addition, Mr. Simmonsen will be examining regulations more closely to determine if any regulations changed can be seen as anti-competitive. For example: if any specific population would have a harder time to achieve certification without good reason.
The item was presented for information.

NOTE:For additional details and information, all handouts are stored and filed chronologically in the PSTEB cabinet on the 4th floor.

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