EDIT 8/16: The IEA was kind enough to forward some information via email that was unavailible online at the time of the original post, and I’ve updated the links below.

The IEA provided me with a nicely succinct document that does a good job summarizing what the board was voting on titled TIERED LICENSURE PROPOSAL FOR STATE RULES.

However, for those that want to read the gigantic official state file, it is available here.  Be forewarned: you’re going to need some quality reading time.

This information changes a few minor things, but I remain steadfast to the original post that this rule has the potential to strip certification.

For example, an initial residency certificate, if not renewed due to inability to meet new evaluation requirements, will effectively de facto strip that teacher of certification and force them to take at least 1 year off to work on “deficiencies.”

This contrasts to today’s procedure where a teacher’s employment might be terminated, but certainly not their certification.

In addition, a teacher on a professional certificate that is unable to meet renewal due to the new evaluation requirements will be stripped of their professional certificate and placed on a contingent certificate. Although this will allow the individual to continue teaching, it strips them of the professional certification and any leadership pay they may have had.

Again, this is much different than today’s procedure where employment might end, but the certificate remains in the hands of the instructor.

In other words, this rule proposal still has the potential to strip certification from a teacher; albeit the certification stripped depends on the type of certificate the instructor held to begin with.

Confusing right?

Original 8/14 Post:

Despite consistent criticism by Idaho’s teachers, the State Board of Education voted tonight to tentatively proceed with a rule change that would allow a teacher’s certification to be revoked by an administrator.

That’s right: for the first time in Idaho’s history, it won’t be the Idaho Standards Commission who is in charge of revocation of Idaho’s teaching certificates; rather, an administrator’s evaluation will dictate not only continued employment, but the ability to teach via the non-renewal of a teacher’s certificate.

That’s because, for the first time ever, an administrator will have control of not only continued employment (which I have no problem with), but of certification in general.

See, the Idaho State Standards Commission, up until now, has been tasked with overseeing possible violations that would qualify as being so egregious as requiring a teacher’s certification to be revoked.

Guess what?  They’ve done a pretty good job.  For example, remember that Deitrick teacher who was referred for an ethics violation for teaching reproduction because, ahem, his Biology curriculum includes a unit on, ahem, cellular reproduction?   He was cleared.  Because…well…it turns out that “sciency” stuff is true.

In other words, this commission, which includes actual teachers, is a safeguard against abuse of teachers; as a task-force including a variety of different individuals, including teachers, this group is able to make decisions without individual bias, grievances, or predisposition.

That is much unlike an evaluation by an administrator.  See, according to the new rules, an administrator will have the ability to strip the teaching certificate from the educator if the evaluation of the teacher doesn’t meet the proposed rule’s expectations.

Because that makes sense.  Clearly, an individual, as opposed to a collective group, is obviously capable of making this determination.

Dont worry!  If you’re a teacher, according to a recent exchange I had with Supt. Luna, there will be a grievance process in place for you to appeal.  Of course, you probably won’t have a job during this appeal, but that’s not important.

Oh, and even if you win your appeal, it’s not like your reputation would be tarnished, right?  Nope.  Nobody would judge you during the process.  Innocent until proven guilty right?  I mean, guilty now…but maybe innocent later…err…uhh…well

Yup.  That’s the legislation on the docket.

This is a tremendous policy change for Idaho teachers.  As Idaho Education Association President Penni Cyr recently reported on this site:

I can tell you that it is my belief that if these licensure steps are made rule or law, we will lose a whole lot more than SPED teachers that you refer to in your article.  I think this will have a devastating effect on our ability to retain (and attract) all teachers in Idaho…I mean, as you put it,  Why would anyone want to put up to $20,000 of compensation up to chance if they don’t have to? Or put the LOSS OF THEIR CAREER (revocation of licensure) up to a local evaluation that is about job performance.  

If there is a single call of action that teachers and parents can do this year, then this issue is it.

Idaho Board of Education is seeking input.  BUT TIME IS LIMITED!  We have only 21 days to tell them what we think of this rule.

Please contact the board at board@osbe.idaho.gov and let them know that this wrong and is completely inappropriate.

There is no other professional group that allows for a law like this.  Certification should be governed by a board of educators, as it is now, not through outside influences.

Certification revocation deserves a fair, impartial hearing as is guaranteed now.

Teachers deserve due process, as is guaranteed now.

This law provides none of those things.

Let the state board know this is bad policy.