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Standards Board Applicant Registry and Member Selection Process

The following is a description of the process by which individuals may apply and are selected for membership on the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching. The Applicant Registry process will be used to fill all positions beginning January 2005.

Step 1: Applications are Submitted
Step 2: Receipt of Applications is Confirmed
Step 3: Pool of Candidates is Established
Step 4: Applications are Reviewed
Step 5: Finalists are Interviewed
Step 6: Nominees are Selected
Step 7: New Members are Appointed

Step 1: Applications are Submitted

• Individuals interested in membership on the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching may submit an application for membership at any time. Complete applications include the Application for Appointment (PDF), personal statement, resume (optional), and one or more letters of recommendation. Applications may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to the Office of Teaching Initiatives as indicated on the application.
   
• Individuals may withdraw their name from the Registry at any time by notifying the Office of Teaching Initiatives.
   
• Individuals who applied for membership prior to 2005 may have their names added to the Registry by notifying the Office of Teaching Initiatives, thus making them eligible for future vacancies. They may wish to supplement their previous application with updated information, but this is optional. Note: former applicants will not automatically be added to the Registry.

Step 2: Receipt of Applications is Confirmed

• When an application is received, an e-mail is sent to the applicant confirming receipt of the application and notifying him/her of any additional information needed to complete the application. Note: The Registry process relies upon e-mail communication. If an applicant does not have access to e-mail, he/she must contact the Office of Teaching Initiatives to make other arrangements.

Step 3: Applications are Reviewed

• Upon receipt, each application receives two reviews by two professional staff in various Education Department offices. Applications are rated on a scale from 1-5 on each of the following criteria:
   
1. Candidate's background and experience are appropriate and relevant to the issues addressed by the Board, appropriate to his/her category of candidacy.
    
2. Candidate's background and experience show active support of high standards/ excellence in teaching, appropriate to his/her category of candidacy.
    
3. Candidate has distinguished himself/herself in one or more aspects of teaching, teacher preparation, advocacy, etc., appropriate to his/her category of candidacy.
    
4. Candidate’s personal statement reflects an understanding of Regents policy, a commitment to improving teaching and a thoughtful assessment of his/her potential contribution as a member of the Board.
    
• Review scores are averaged and the results are rank-ordered.

Step 4: Pool of Candidates is Established

• When a vacancy occurs on the Board, a rank-ordered list is established of all applicants in the Registry who qualify for membership in the category of the vacancy (teacher, school administrator, higher education, public, or teacher education student).
   
• The executive director and secretary to the Board review the applications and rankings and select a pool of finalists. The pool of finalists consists of a portion of the top-ranked applicants, and may also include other applicants who represent geographic, subject specialty, racial/ethnic, or other categories of diversity needed on the Board.
   
• The finalists are contacted by e-mail to determine if they wish to be considered for appointment at that time. All individuals who reply to this e-mail by the date requested, expressing their interest, constitute the interview list. Individuals who do not respond to the e-mail inquiry are not considered for that particular vacancy, although their names are maintained in the database for future vacancies.

Step 5: Finalists are Interviewed

• Telephone and/or face-to-face interviews are conducted with each finalist by an interview committee, which typically consists of the executive director, secretary to the Board, and an Education Department staff member from another office. Each interviewer rates the applicant on his/her responses to a series of questions during the roughly half-hour interview. The questions are designed to determine the individual’s knowledge of and personal views on teaching issues in New York State, as well as his/her availability and willingness to commit to the work of the Board.
   
• Following the interviews, the interview committee discusses each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses and each interviewer indicates whether the candidate should be considered for appointment.

Step 6: Nominees are Selected

• The executive director selects the final nominee for each vacancy and submits the name to the deputy commissioner, commissioner, and finally to the Board of Regents for consideration. All finalists are notified by telephone of the name of the nominee selected and are informed that their application will remain in the Registry for consideration for future vacancies.

Step 7: New Members are Appointed

• The Regents Committee on Higher Education and the Professions appoints the new members.
   
• Upon appointment, the individual receives a letter of appointment from the Commissioner of Education. The new member begins his/her service at the next regular meeting of the Standards Board.