As 2018 comes to a close, TSPC Staff sends sincere gratitude to all of our partners and wishes each of you the very best of the holiday season.
November 2018 Commission Meeting Update
The Commission met on November 1 and 2, 2018 at the Salem Convention Center. The complete agenda and all attachments can be found at this link. The Commission welcomed three new Commissioners:
Samuel Breyer, Superintendent of Multnomah ESD
Erika Bare, Secondary Principal, Ashland School District
Iris Carrasco, Elementary Teacher, Albany Public Schools
Superintendent of Umatilla School District, Heidi Sipe, has served on the Commission for seven years. This was her final meeting as a Commissioner, and even though she was not present, she sent a very thoughtful note which was read aloud by Vice Chair Marty Perez. TSPC Staff thanks Heidi, and other departing Commissioners Judy Brizendine, Lea Bates, Chris Kuka, Olga Cobb, Anne Marie Chesebro, Mary McKay and Steven Bell for their service to Oregon’s students.
Maureen Wolf of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board was elected Chair, and Marty Perez, Teacher in Portland Public Schools elected Vice Chair. Committee chairs were also elected, with Todd Cherner as Licensure Chair, Bruce Weitzel as Program Approval Chair, and Liliana Jimenez as Chair of Professional Practices. Other Commissioners continuing their terms are Allan Bruner, Jessica Classen, Alan Contreras, and Martha Gross. You can read more about the Commissioners at this link.
The Commission heard reports from Hilda Rosselli of the Chief Education Office, and Mark Girod, Chair of the Oregon Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (OACTE). Both reports discussed teacher shortage issues and recruitment strategies.
Dr. Rosilez updated the Commission on the work to reduce barriers to the profession for all potential educators. There has been broad agreement that Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) could develop a “multiple measures” approach to determining that a candidate is prepared and ready to be licensed. The Commission proposed a rule change to open the possibility for this approach. That change should be adopted during the February Commission meeting. Until the rule is adopted and Oregon’s multiple measures assessment is developed, the current system of requiring successful completion of content exams and edTPA will remain in place. Dr. Rosilez is grateful to the members of the Barriers Work Group, who gave up time to discuss this important issue to identify the many barriers facing all candidates wishing to become licensed educators.
Topics covered under the Licensure section of the agenda included updates on licensure staff production, eLicensing, and the appointing of a new Teacher Leader License application review Committee.
Dr. Rosilez led the Commission through a discussion of the proposed rules for the Administrative Licensure Redesign. Key concepts of the Redesign include:
Clarifying the duties that require someone to hold an Administrator License;
Updating the Preliminary Administrator License to a Principal License and clarifying that the Principal License allows the holder to work as a building-level administrator;
Revising the program standards to ensure that the preparation to hold a Principal License is specific to building-level administration, including a more clinically-based approach;
Allowing continuous and unlimited renewal of the Principal License, without requiring the move to the Professional Administrator License;
Clarifying that the Professional Administrator License is for district-wide administrative positions;
Revising the program standards to ensure that the preparation to hold a Professional Administrator License are specific to district-wide administration, also including a more clinically-based approach;
Providing for transition planning for those currently enrolled in programs, and requiring preparation programs to implement the new standards by August of 2022.
More detail about the Administrator Licensure Redesign will be provided once the final rules are adopted.
The Commission heard a presentation from Pearson regarding the continuing implementation of the edTPA. In the coming year, the Commission will review data from the edTPA to determine if any adjustments to the passing scores or process for programs in implementing the assessment are warranted.
The Commission approved continuing state recognition of preparation programs for Lewis & Clark College, the University of Oregon, and Western Pacific University. Programs will address any areas for improvement or conditions of approval through the annual report process or as directed by the Commission.
The Commission approved the creation of two new licensure programs. Portland State University has been approved to offer a Math Instructional Leader (6-12) specialization program, and Warner Pacific University has been approved to offer a Special Education: Generalist endorsement program.
Rules: November 2018 Commission Meeting
ADOPTED
Beginning July 1, 2019, educator who submit the application and fee after their license expires will not receive the 120-day grace period. This change is made to comply with ORS 342.127. Even though the license may be expired, once the application and fee are on file, and the background check is clear, educators may return to work under the 90-day provision of ORS 342.125.
Added a Legacy Reading Intervention endorsement, for those teachers who were designated as “Highly Qualified” in Reading under the No Child Left Behind Act;
Retitled the Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leader Specialization to Mathematics Instructional Leader PreK-8 Specialization; and
Created the Mathematics Instructional Leader 6-12 Specialization.
PROPOSED
The following rules were proposed by the Commission. The public comment period is open until January 15, 2019. You can submit comments on these proposed rules to tspc.ruletestimony@oregon.gov.
Preliminary Teaching License: removes the six-year recent preparation requirement from the licensure rule and refers to the program rule, making the Program Completion Report valid for three years;
Allows those holding a Restricted Teaching License to move to the Reciprocal License if they have completed a program in another state and need to complete content testing;
Changes the name of the Early Intervention endorsement to SPED: Early Intervention and Early Childhood;
The reducing barriers (multiple measures assessment) rule;
Administrator Licensure Redesign rules.
Special Education Summit
In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Education and the University of Florida's CEEDAR (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform) Center, a gathering of stakeholders interested in Special Education convened on November 29. TSPC Executive Director Anthony Rosilez and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Colt Gill charged the group with discussing issues around delivery of academic content to Special Education students, preparation of Special Education teachers and staffing issues around Special Education in general.
The group held a robust discussion, providing ODE and TSPC staff with a framework for the issues facing teachers and districts, as well as some potential solutions to those issues. Two immediate, key issues identified are the assignment limitations imposed by the Course Catalogue and the endorsements required for a Special Educator to teach academic content. Staff from both agencies are considering ideas presented by the Summit attendees to determine what changes may be necessary, and exactly where and how those changes must be made.
Adding Endorsements: Supervision of Practicum
When the holder of a Preliminary Teaching License wishes to add an endorsement that requires the teacher to complete a content test and demonstrate pedagogical knowledge, the pedagogy requirement may be met by completing one of the following:
A program, resulting in the program submitting the Program Completion Report; or
A two semester or three quarter credit methods course in the content; or
Teaching experience in post-secondary settings or private schools, with verification from the employer; or
A 60 hour practicum.
Rule is specific about the practicum. It must be:
In the courses that the new endorsement is authorized to teach;
Supervised by a teacher holding a Professional, Teacher Leader or Legacy Teaching License AND is properly endorsed.
If no appropriately licensed and endorsed teacher can be found, a list of alternative supervisors is available here;
That webpage also instructs that if no teacher holding the alternative endorsement is available, the district may submit a request to the Director of Licensure to use someone else prior to the placement.
The Commission believes that it is important that an appropriately licensed and endorsed teacher supervise the practicum. They may be asked to attest to the skill and knowledge of the novice teacher in the new content area. The practicum supervising teacher does not need to be in the same building or even the same district.
Professional Practices Updates
Fingerprinting & Background Check Questions
TSPC has a new email address for any questions concerning or related to the fingerprinting or background checks of TSPC licensure applicants. Multiple agency personnel are now assigned to respond to these questions. In order to facilitate more timely responses to these questions, please send questions regarding TSPC fingerprinting or background checks to Finger.Printing@Oregon.gov .
Thank you for your adherence to this notification in your future communications with TSPC.
TSPC Representatives Available
TSPC would like to remind school districts and educator preparation providers that we are ready to assist your educators, or education candidates, in better understanding TSPC and the professional educator standards by which TSPC licensed educators are expected to abide. If you have an interest in a TSPC representative speaking with your educators regarding suggested best practices related to the TSPC professional educator standards, you are encouraged to contact Trent Danowski (trent.danowski@oregon.gov) for further information and scheduling.
TSPC Commission Meeting
The next full Commission meeting is February 7-8, 2019 at Roth's Fresh Market, West Salem.
Districts: Please contact your TSPC representative if you have questions about licenses for educators in your district.
Please note: Your TSPC representative’s email address and phone number are exclusively for district use and should not be distributed to educators. Educators must contact TSPC by email or phone, 503-378-3586.
This newsletter is intended to provide general information only.
Please refer to Chapter 584 of the Oregon Administrative Rules for specific rules and regulations governing educator licensure in Oregon.
