PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS AND
TEACHER
EDUCATION
BOARD
PREPARED BY:
MARYLAND STATE
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION · NEA
November 5,2015
PSTEB GOALS:
Goal #1:Identify and address
inconsistencies and conflicts
existing in certification regulation
through review of current statutes
andappropriate actions.
Goal #2:Explore ways to
maximizeboth the traditional and
non-traditional preparation options
leading to educator certification in
Maryland.
Goal #3:Recognize and
uphold highstandards for teacher
quality through the certificationprocess.
Goal #4:Adopt new areas of
certification required to meet
shifting and expanding
educationalopportunities for
students initiated by state and
localstakeholders. / Preliminary Items
The Board reviewed and approved the October Minutes.
No Public Comments were made.
State Board of Education Report
Ms. Sarah Spross, MSDE Chief of Educator Effectiveness, reviewed actions taken by the State Board of Education (SBOE)and information shared at their October meeting:
- The SBOE has begun the search process for a new state superintendent of schools.
- There was a “robust” discussion regarding PARCC and the high school PARCC scores that were released.
- The initial Teacher/Principal Evaluation (TPE) data was reviewed.
- An update was presented regarding the State Aided Institution (SAI) program and the 40 institutions and organizations funded by the General Assembly across the state.
- Updates on the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant and the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) were also reviewed.
Mr. Darren Horneck, PSTEB Chair, discussed the history of PSTEB often looking at the assessments when we have been asked to tie PARCC results to teacher certification; we declined to go down that road until we know more.
Response: Ms. Spross also pointed out the tie to teacher preparation at colleges; we import 49% of our teachers from other states.
Action Items
Chair Elections
Mr. Darren Hornbeck was nominated for another term as chairperson of PSTEB; he was unopposed and elected unanimously.
Dr. Alyssia James was nominated to be co-chairperson of PSTEB; she was unopposed and elected unanimously.
Calendar for 2016
The following dates were accepted for 2016 PSTEB Meetings:
January 7, 2016
February 4, 2016
March 3, 2016
April 7, 2016
May 5, 2016
June 2, 2016
August 8, 2016
September 8, 2016
October 6, 2016
November 3, 2016
December 1, 2016
The July 7th meeting was cancelled with the understanding that should there be a pressing issue, the meeting may need to be called; there are some potential certification issues the SBOE may be addressing later in the year.
Question: Clarification was asked for the inclement weather policy.
Response: Currently if Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) are closed, the meeting is cancelled;problem arises when BCPS starts with a delayed opening and switches to closing schools – especially for PSTEB members who live more than an hour from Baltimore City.
PSTEB agreed to change the policy to read: If BCPS are closed or delayed, PSTEB will be cancelled. In addition, for the months of January, February and March, alternate snow dates will be Thursdays, immediately following the regularly scheduled meeting date.
Discussion
Dual Certification Program Early Childhood/Special Education
Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin, director, Early Childhood Education, Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, at the University of Maryland,explained the new dual certification program that allows students to become certified in both Early Childhood (EC) (Pre-school – Grade 3) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) (Birth – Grade 3) in one four-year baccalaureate program.
Highlights:
- This replaces the need to take a Master’s Degree Program to become ECSE certified.
- Program prepares teachers to be culturally responsive and to use differentiated pedagogy.
- Integrates content courses focused on Maryland College and Career Ready Standards.
- Developed program after working with two focus groups along with school partners from Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard, and Anne Arundel Counties.
- A recent area of need, identified by school systems, is dealing with very young children exhibiting highly emotional, disruptive behaviors.
- Created four one-credit courses to address areas of need for current school staff teachers.
- The degree program includes five field experience placements.
- Field experiences are in schools, Judy Centers, and Head Start programs; work with mentors and the sites to maintain high quality placements; usually in Title I schools where mentors appreciate another adult in the room.
- Proud that all the professors are staff faculty – no adjuncts.
- Dr. James expressed concern that many professors may not have been in a public school classroom for years, if not decades; adjuncts help bring instructors with more current experience.
- Ms. Dawn Pipkin, PSTEB member, asked what happens when the mentor isn’t equipped to handle difficult situations and that’s what the student sees. Response: Dr. Tirrell-Corbin explained the process used to support both mentors and to debrief with student teacher.
- Ms. Pipkin inquired about lesson planning and the tendency of new teachers to “shop” for lesson plans on the internet rather than write their own plans. Response: Dr. Tirrell-Corbin explained the lesson plan template students must use and the requirement on the template to cite the data used to inform the lesson.
- Dr. Mary Ellen Lewis, PSTEB member, asked how working with an IEP Team is embedded in the experience. Response: In their senior year, students are placed with a special education teacher and participate in the preparation for and the actual IEP Meeting.
- Mr. Hornbeck expressed his appreciation for the excellent design of the program; PSTEB’s desire to encourage future dual certification programs; also, can we “compensate” mentors with credits towards APC renewal? This Board can look at elements that count towards certification; we may want to look at this at a future meeting.
Mr. Gary Hedges, MSDE Program Specialist for Science and Environmental Education,led PSTEB members in a review of the goals and status of Environmental Literacy.
Highlights:
- Environmental Education became a graduation requirement in 2011; Maryland was the first state with this requirement.
- Maryland State Department of Education received an international honor in Geneva for Environmental Education– the 2015 Future Policy Award.
- Ms. Laurie Jenkins, Outdoor Education Coordinator for Montgomery County Public Schools, described the Our Neighborhood, Our Watershed (ONOW) Program.
- Paid for fourth grade teachers to receive 10 hours of professional development to:
- build environmental literacy lessons;
- increase equitable access,
- ensure lessons are for kids to be conducted at their school site;
- ensure lessons are issue oriented;
- Teachers felt more comfortable using the outdoors for instruction after training.
- Environmental Literacy (EL) focuses on: 21st Century Skills; STEM; creating context for learning across content areas; citizen science; health and wellbeing.
- EL is in addition to Outdoor Education; it is embedded in the curriculum of Science, Social studies, English Language Arts, and Math.
- Superintendents must certify that EnvironmentalLiteracy is embedded in the curriculum and is happening – but, it will look different in each school district.
- Currently offer an Environmental Endorsement for certified science teachers;
- Want to offer a program so students would be dual certified in Science and Environmental Education.
- Asking what is required in teacher preparation so it is aligned with COMAR expectations for what is to happen in the classroom.
- Mr. Hornbeck commented to the Board that this group is looking for advice so they may proceed with plans; usually PSTEB convenesa workgroup to gather the information needed; asked, what questions would you like this Board to address?
- Response:The following information was requested:
- What does EL look like in all 24 school districts?
- What are superintendents signing off on?
- How does EL crosswalk with the Next Generation Science Standards?
Items for December Meeting
Minutes were approved.
Review of Comments Received COMAR 13A.12.01
Ms. Spross advised the Board that this particular regulation has been under revision for three years; we have sent it out for public comments and made amendments three times; the comments (all from school districts) are again substantive requiring additional revisions and another round of public comments.In past cases like this, the Board has pulled the proposed regulation and started fresh.
Mr. Hornbeck agreed that with all the revisions and tracked changes, it becomes confusing for all stakeholders to decipher and read; this regulation addresses many complex issues dealing with certification vs licensing, duel pathways and vocabulary changes.
It was proposed and approved that the permission to publish be withdrawn and the Board begin with a new regulation considering previous comments.
It was proposed and approved that the December meeting deal exclusively with this COMAR issue so that PSTEB may deliberate and give it the time this issue deserves.
Mr. Hornbeck commented that we are deliberate; some would love us to go fast but our goal is to get it right; the Board nodded in consensus.
Acknowledgment
Mr. Hornbeck took a point of privilege to thank Dr. Lorraine Cornish-Harrison for serving as PSTEB co-chair so efficiently and effectively the past year.
The Board came to consensus to conclude the meeting.
NOTE:For additional details and information, all handouts are stored and filed chronologically in the PSTEB cabinet on the 4th floor.
MSEA PSTEB11/5/2015-Page 1