I know it’s been a busy week for most of the state’s teachers. Like me, you likely were caught up to speed on the changes that will be implemented in the school due to passage of laws in last year’s legislative session.
However, my ears certainly pricked up when an administrator announced to our staff that, unlike last year, all sophomores will be given the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC) this year instead of the Juniors.
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Below is the letter I sent to the Board regarding TIERED LICENSURE PROPOSAL FOR STATE RULES.
According to the new rules, an administrator’s evaluation has the potential to impact your teaching certification. This is particularly true for new teachers.
Remember, we only have 20 days remaining to contact the board and let them know what you think!
Please cc me on any emails you send to the board regarding this policy change. I would like to publish fellow educator’s viewpoints.
The Board’s email is board@osbe.idaho.gov
My email to cc is levibcavener@gmail.com.
My letter, in full, is below.
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.
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