State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching

Meeting Minutes

Date: January 17 & 18, 2007
Location: State Education Department, Seminar Room 5A&B, Albany, New York

Members Present

Patrick Allen, co-chair
Eric R. Gidseg, co-chair
Janet A. Ahola
Desma DeGraw
Theresa R. DiPasquale

Todd R. Feigenbaum
Catalina Fortino
Rosemary Harrigan
Lloyd Jaeger
Stephanie Leeds

Nicholas M. Michelli
Susan Phillips
Evelyn Rich
Patricia Roberts
Kathleen Taylor

MEMBERS ABSENT

Erik Bitterbaum
Debra Colley
Allison Cugini
Cheryl Freedman

Susan Mittler
Eva M. Mroczka
Joseph Perez
Shelley Rappaport

Frank Scelsa
Sally Thompson
Anne Marie Tryjankowski

STAFF PRESENT

Robert Bentley

Nancy Taylor Baumes

JANUARY 17, 2007

1. Call to Order

Day One of the meeting was called to order by co-chair Eric Gidseg at 3:33p.m.

2. Announcements

• The new Standards Board brochure is now available. Multiple copies are available upon request for members’ use.
• Copies of the Darling-Hammond & Bransford book are available for members still needing copies.
• Interested members are asked to sign up for e-mail news from Teacher Centers in their regions.

3.  Meeting Minutes

Motion: That the minutes of the November 2006 meeting be approved.
(Moved by S. Leeds, seconded by E. Rich, not carried due to lack of quorum.)

4. Subcommittee Reports

Professional Practices Subcommittee
Catalina Fortino, chair, reported that the subcommittee met on January 17, prior to the full board meeting. Mike Moon shared a draft of the Teacher Center Program Annual Report. The subcommittee reviewed new center applications and approved staff recommendations to fund the following new centers:
Commack UFSD   $60,000
Horseheads CSD   $98,648
Lansing CSD-Groton CSD   $121,250
North Merrick UFSD   $64,995
Van Hornseville- Owen D. Young CSD  $68,346
The subcommittee also requested additional data from Mike Moon in order to discuss Teacher Center funding distribution at its March meeting. Also, the subcommittee reviewed fourteen Part 83 cases.

Higher Education Subcommittee
Nick Michelli, chair, reported that the subcommittee met on January 17, prior to the full board meeting. The subcommittee discussed the RATE accreditation process with OCUE staff and requested more information about institutions’ progress following the initial RATE review.

5. Executive Director’s Report

Bob Bentley reported on the following:

• Staff are meeting with external groups for advice on the development of the assessments for the new school leadership certificates.
• Reminder- The individual evaluation pathway for the Initial certificate in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) will no longer be available after February 1, 2007.
• OHE’s efforts in the P-16 Initiative are aimed at interesting high school students in teaching.
• Staff are meeting with external groups for advice on the restructuring of special education certificates.
• OTI has begun a review of the semester hour requirement for science teachers applying for an additional certificate in another science.
• The Department is not going forward with the proposal to establish an endorsement of out-of-state certificates.
• There are currently 2 vacancies on the Board, with at least 4 more anticipated as of this June. Board members are asked to help identify good candidates for Board membership.

6. Part 83 Annual Report

Debbie Marriott presented the Part 83 Annual Report (attached).

7. Meeting Calendar
    2007-2008

The Board selected the 2007-2008 meeting dates, but deferred voting to adopt the calendar until the March meeting due to the lack of a quorum.

8. Proposal for Endorsement of Out-of-State Certificates

The Board discussed and suggested revisions to the position statement (drafted by Pat Allen and Allison Cugini) to the proposed regulatory amendment to establish endorsement of out-of-state certificates.

9. Adjournment

The co-chair adjourned Day One of the meeting at 5:25 p.m.

JANUARY 18, 2006

1.  Call to Order

Day Two of the meeting was called to order by co-chair Pat Allen at 8:12 a.m.

2. Research Review

Nick Michelli, Susan Phillips, and Stephanie Leeds led a discussion of the paper “Induction Into Learning Communities”.

3. Legislative Education Visits

The Board established priority areas for the March Legislative visits. Evie Rich, Lloyd Jaeger, Rosemary Harrigan, and Stephanie Leeds will develop the materials with input and comment from members.

4. Agenda Setting

Members suggested the following items for the March agenda:

• Legislative Education visits/ briefing Diana Hinchcliff/report out
• Status report on proposal re special education certification
• Supply and demand data
• Approval of 2007-2008 meeting calendar
• Research review cont.- Chapter 12, Darling-Hammond, Bransford
• Info on induction models in  other professions
• Revised statement on certificate endorsement proposal
• Co-chairs report on meeting with the Commissioner
• Statement on Early Childhood Education
• Recruitment DVD prototype

5. Adjournment

The co-chair adjourned Day Two of the meeting at 11:28 p.m.

Complaint Source

Number of Complaints

Teacher Moral Character Application

921

Fingerprinting (DCJS)

469

Fingerprinting (FBI)

164

Subsequent Arrest

544

Public

145

School District

92

Teacher Tenure

65

NASDTEC

33

Total

2433

Types of Non-Criminal Cases

Cert Fraud

8

Corp Punishment

2

Drugs Alcohol

6

Inappropriate Relationship

90

Other

8

Porn

12

School Theft

7

Sex Harassment

15

Test Fraud

12

Verbal Abuse

2

Total

162

Types of Criminal Cases

Arson

1

Assault

8

Child Porn

25

Disorderly Con

3

Drugs

66

DWI

9

Endangering

27

Exposure/Lewdness

14

Forgery

5

Harassment

6

Larceny

30

Manslaughter

5

Other Felony

23

Other Misdemeanor

10

Robbery

8

Sex - Adult Victim

4

Sex - Child Victim

78

Total

321