AN UPDATE ON THE
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS AND
TEACHER
EDUCATION
BOARD
PREPARED BY:
MARYLAND STATE
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION · NEA
March 3, 2016

PSTEB GOALS:
Goal #1:Identify and addressinconsistencies and conflictsexisting in certification regulationthrough review of current statutes andappropriate actions.
Goal #2:Explore ways tomaximizeboth the traditional andnon-traditional preparation optionsleading to educator certification inMaryland.
Goal #3:Recognize and uphold highstandards for teacherquality through the certificationprocess.
Goal #4:Adopt new areas ofcertification required to meetshifting and expandingeducationalopportunities forstudents initiated by state andlocal stakeholders. / Action Items
  • Approved January 7, 2015and February 4, 2015 minutes with correction
  • Agenda items for the April7, 2016 meeting
  • The board will discuss and hear updates on:
  • Approval of March Minutes
  • State Board of Education (SBOE) Report
  • Program Overview Dual Certification at Towson University
  • Discussion COMAR 13A.12.01.04 Options For Obtaining Initial Maryland Certification
  • Continued Discussion COMAR 13A.12.01
  • Recommendation for future agendas:
Every Student Succeeds Act(ESSA)will be added to the May agenda
  • Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) update will be added to the May or June agenda
Permission to Publish: COMAR 13A.12.01.03 Personnel Not Eligible
Ms. Sarah Spross, assistant state superintendent, Educator Effectiveness, stated that COMAR 13A.12.01.03 requires revision to ensure individuals who are denied a certificate, the same due process rights as current certificate holders, when they commit a cause leading to suspension or revocation under Maryland regulations. Amendments are being proposed to formalize the process for denying certification to individuals who have a disqualifying cause resulting in a suspension or revocation had the individual already held a Maryland certificate. These changes would provide the same notice and opportunity to be heard that is provided to current certificate holders.
PSTEB approved permission to publish amendments to COMAR 13A.12.03 with the following tentative timeline:
Maryland State Board of Education (SBOE) / April 2016
Maryland Register Date / June 2016
30 Day Open Comment Period / June-July, 2016
PSTEB Adoption / July/August 2016
SBOE Adoption / August/September 2016
Preliminary Items
State Board Update– Ms. Miya Simpson
Ms. Miya Simpson, executive director, shared SBOE approved:
  • Permission to Publish amendments to COMAR 13A.10.01 Home School Instruction Programs.
  • Permission to Publish amendments to COMAR 13A.06.02 Pre-Kindergarten Programs.
  • Permission to Publish amendments to COMAR 13A.04.13 Programs in Physical Education.
  • Permission to Publish COMAR 13A.04.18 Programs in Comprehensive Health Education.
  • MSDE granted permission to draft a letter from either the State Superintendent or the State Board to the General Assembly about Md. Ed. Art. §7-203(b)(3)(i) regarding the next steps for this assessment statute.
Update – Ms. Sarah Spross
  • Ms. Spross shared an overview of SB 512 and SB 493. These bills deal with stipends for comprehensive and non-comprehensive schools.
  • Ms. Spross shared an overview of HB 617, Anne Arundel County Public Schools-Adjunct Instructor Program. This Bill authorizes Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) to establish a program whereby the County Board may issue locally recognized certificates to individuals with specific knowledge, skills, and experience in a specialty or hard-to-fill subject area, as determined by the County Board. Ms. Spross also shared that HB 617 is similar in concept to SB 635 from last year’s general assembly. SB 635 was Washington County’s attempt to create another certification pathway. That bill died last year.
  • PSTEB members discussed the faults of HB 617 extensively.
  • Darren Hornbeck, PSTEB Chair, noted that PSTEB worked several years ago making adjustments to the current alternative certification pathway to ensure that practitioners in this route would have a mix of pedagogy knowledge, content knowledge, and experience.
  • There are two specific certification regulations designed to meet the needs of individuals with specialized knowledge, skills, and occupational experience, who wish to provide instruction in that specialized area: COMAR 13A.12.02.15 Professional and Technical Education, and COMAR 13A.12.02.27 Specialized Professional Areas (Grades 7-12).
  • Dr. Mary Ellen Lewis, PSTEB member, noted that practitioners under HB 617 would be missing special education knowledge.
  • Ms. Michelle Dunkle, Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs (MAAPP) Coordinator, shared the rationale behind the bill; AACPS is probably seeking to bring in experts fromthe Nano-technology/STEM field.
  • Action: PSTEB voted to write a letter of opposition for HB 617 based on the following grounds:
  • Maryland has several ways for an individual to obtain state certification, through both traditional and non-traditional certification routes. The current alternative paths recognize that practitioners must be knowledgeable about their subject matter as well as best teaching practices.
  • The bill lacks specificity concerning the pedagogical requirements for individuals hired as "adjunct instructors.”
  • The certificate, being proposed in the bill, would be county-specific, hence non-transferable. Therefore, the certificate would not be recognized by the state of Maryland, other Local School Systems (LSSs), or any other states.
Discussion Items
COMAR 13A.12.01.02 Definitions and COMAR 13A.12.01.04 Options for Obtaining Initial Maryland Certification
Ms. Spross, Ms. Kelly Meadows, branch chief,Educator Effectiveness, and Ms. Dunkle led PSTEB members in the discussion about COMAR 13A.12.01.02Definitions and COMAR 13A.12.01.04 Options for Obtaining Initial Maryland Certification.
Highlights:
MSDE wants to ensure definitions align with practice:
  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • Current definitionof CPD is: Credits earned through continuing professional development experiences approved by the MSDE or an institution of higher education (IHE); or credits used to renew licenses issued by other licensing boards and approved by the department.
  • Proposed definition of CPD: Credits earned through continuing professional development experiences approved by the MSDE. Rationale for change: The old language included an embedded definition of Continuing Education Units (CEU) which made it misleading.
  • Ms. Spross noted that this change does not limit any LSSs’ ability to identify their school system’s needs and request for expansion of approved CPD categories in their system.
  • Continuing Education Units (CEU)
  • Current definitionof CEU: not existent in current COMAR.
  • Proposed definition of CEU:The number of clock hours, or contact hours, used to renew licenses issued by other licensing boards.
  • It was noted that currently 15 clock hours equated to one credit and this is the practice used.
  • MSDE wants to make sure all the administrative or supervisory positions descriptors use the same and appropriate terminologies. They would also like to determine if there should be alignment across certificate areas. For example consistency of using specific degree type, such as master’s degree versus the term graduate program. MSDE staff created a matrix to share with PSTEB where the changes would apply.
  • Highlights:
  • What does graduate degree work or program mean? Ms. Dawn Pipkin, PSTEB member, shared that it looks like all these certificates require coursework beyond a bachelor’s degree. She proposed re-phrasing it to graduate coursework versus program, as an alternative.
  • Consideration: establishing a workgroup to review this.
  • Discussion on this topic will continue next month.

NOTE:For additional details and information, all handouts are stored and filed chronologically in the PSTEB cabinet on the 4th floor.

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