October 3, 2012

Division of Teacher and Leader Excellence

CERTIFICATION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNOR’S EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS TASK FORCE

October 3, 2012

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Contents

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Overview of Proposed Changes

Index of Individual Changes

Overview of Major Proposed Changes

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Mission: Pursuant to the 40 regulatory changes related to licensure and professional development in the ETTF Report, these amendments are designed to provide schools and districts with greater levels of flexibility and efficiency with their human capital practices

Goals of Proposed Changes:

1. Ease requirements that can be burdensome for districts in attracting, hiring and placing staff

2. Shift from compliance-driven professional development to a streamlined process that supports individualized development

Ease Requirements: An Overview

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• Issue: Cumbersome certification requirements and administrative processes create a limited pool of high-quality candidates

• Proposed Change: Streamline certification requirements in specific areas

• Rationale: Broaden the pool of high-quality staff and reduce the administrative burden on fully certified teaching and administrative staff

Ease Requirements: Details

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Type of Educator Issue Proposed Changes

Athletics Personnel

Difficulty recruiting high quality athletics

personnel

• Provide flexibility for districts to hire certified substitutes as athletic coaches• Clarify safety requirements only required of

swim coaches, and not other swimming personnel

SubstitutesDifficulty filling emergent positions with a certified

substitute

• Ease ability to use private vendors to secure services of a qualified sub• Eliminate BOE bottleneck by allowing

candidate/vendor to send documentation directly to county• Empower superintendent, rather than BOE,

to request emergent sub hires • Permit holders of CEs or CEAs permitted to

serve as subs without additional credential

Self-Contained 6th Grade Teachers

Difficulty finding self-contained 6th grade

teachers for small K-6 districts

• Expand the elementary endorsement to authorize teachers of elementary school to teach kindergarten through grade six

Ease Requirements: Details (continued)

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Experience-Based CTE Educators

Basic skills test hinders interest in teaching and limits ability of school leader to fill position

• Shift the basic skills test requirement until the CTE educator applies for standard teaching certification

Middle School Teachers

Inflexible and cumbersome certification

requirements

• Expand options to qualify for middle school endorsements by allowing both elementary certificate and N-12 certificate holders to qualify

School Business Administrators

Limiting ability to fulfill two year residency

requirement to public schools

• Allow approved private schools for the disabled to count as residency sites

Ease Requirements: Details (continued)

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School Nurses

Cumbersome certification

requirements overemphasize

differences between serving students and general population

• Reduce entry study requirements for regular school nurse and school nurse/non-instructional• Ensure that topics no longer covered by

coursework would have to be covered by professional development

Teachers in Documented

Shortage Areas

Difficulty attracting teachers in shortage

areas

• Grant Commissioner latitude in approving alternate route programs for documented teacher shortage areas

School Administrators and Principals*

Potentially burdensome residency

(apprenticeship) requirement

• Allow Commissioner to reduce or remove the residency requirement on a case-by-case basis depending on the prior experience of the candidate

*Not from ETTF

Changes That Have Been Deferred

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• Several recommendations from the task force will not be introduced in these proposed regulations, as they require further due diligence; examples include:

– Removing 6 credit limit on transfer of professional education (pedagogy) credits from community colleges to four year teacher prep colleges

– Restricting currently unlimited service of substitute nurses

– Offering flexibility in substituting experience for the required 24 seat hours training for alternate route candidates in basic classroom skills and pedagogy

– Reducing entry level study requirements for physical science, math, middle school, social studies and all other sciences

Shift from Compliance-Driven PD: An Overview

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• Issue: Compliance-driven, cumbersome PD planning and approval process lacks focus on PD that drives student learning

• Proposed Changes: – Clarify and expand PD-related definitions– Streamline planning process and consolidate oversight at local and

state levels

• Rationale: Focus PD on rich, aligned content while reducing committees and levels of oversight

Shift from Compliance-Driven PD: Details

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Type of Change Issue Proposed Changes

Clarify and Expand

Definitions

Separate, redundant chapters that outline PD

requirements for teachers and school

leaders

• Integrate teacher and school leader PD requirements into single chapter for clarification and simplification

Lack of emphasis on the importance of job-embedded learning opportunities and

student achievement

• Broaden the definition of “professional development” to include job-embedded activities and collaborative teamwork (e.g. PLCs, rigorous analysis of student data, job-embedded coaching) • Ensure definitions are grounded in a focus on

improving student outcomes

Lack of focus on educator learning

development that leads to successful student

learning

• Update set of professional development standards to include a reduction in number of standards and a focus on PD that leads to successful student learning

Shift from Compliance-Driven PD: Details (cont)

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Streamline PD Planning Process and Consolidate

Oversight

Compliance-focused hourly PD requirement

• Shift current requirement for 100 hours of PD over five years to a 20-hour annual requirement to simplify tracking of hours and allow PD to focus on real-time student needs and school/district priorities

Lack of clear accountability for

principals in developing school-level plan*

• Clearly identify principal as school-level leader responsible for developing plan, while continuing to solicit teacher input

Cumbersome planning process for district-level

PD planning, thereby creating multiple, often

redundant, levels of oversight*

• Eliminate requirements for district- and county-level committees, while continuing to solicit teacher input• Shift accountability for creating plans to

superintendents, while retaining Board of Ed as approving body• Provide flexibility for formation of regional

consortia

*See details on the following slide


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Current Structure

School-Level PD Planning

Elected School Professional Development Committee is responsible for developing plan

District-Level PD Planning

1. Local Professional Development Committee develops plan

2. District Board of Education reviews3. County Professional Development

Board approves4. District Board of Education has

final approval

Streamlining the PD Planning Process & Consolidating Oversight

Structure Under Proposed Amendments

Principal is responsible for development of plan, in consultation with teachers

1. Superintendents or designees oversee development of plan

2. District Board of Education reviews and provides final approval


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Streamline PD Planning Process and Consolidate

Oversight

Professional Teaching Standards Board and

Professional Development Advisory

Committee serve in similar capacity and

resulted in barriers to creating one cohesive

state strategy around PD

• Consolidate into one state committee on Professional Learning; membership will be representative of all stakeholders and appointed by the Commissioner

Peer Reviewers were required to review

Superintendent PD plans, thereby leading to inherent bias and misplacement of

accountability

• Provide local Boards of Ed with responsibility for approving superintendent-created PD plans and ensuring goals are met

Contents

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Overview of Proposed Changes

Index of Individual Changes

EETF Proposed Changes: Subchapters 4 & 5

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CITATION TITLE / TOPIC DESCRIPTION JUSTIFICATION ETTF PAGE #

6A:9-4.2(a) Board of Examiners-Powers and duties

Report appendix recommends removing board authorization to issue, revoke or suspend certificates.

Removes content that is duplicative of statute. 194

6A:9-4.2(c) Board of Examiners-Powers and duties

Report recommends allowing Board committee chairs to decide motions for relief when this doesn't constitute the final decision in a case.

Speeds resolution of certification disputes; current procedure often requires Board to convene a special meeting because these motions must be decided within short time frames.

105

6A:9-5.2 (c) Certificates-general

Report recommends ending requirement for ECSs to annually collect staff certification reports from districts.

Ends burdensome report / monitoring requirement that will soon be replaced by NJSmart.

105

6A:9-5.6 Oath of Allegiance Report recommends deletion of the section that requires an oath of allegiance for any certificate applicant.

Removes content that is duplicative of statute. 195

6A:9-5.[18]17(a) Swim coaches Report recommends clarifying that this section applies only to persons serving as coaches rather than, for example volunteers or staff who serve as time keeper, aides, etc.

Necessary clarification.

106

6A:9-5.[19]18 Athletic personnel Allow districts to hire substitutes as coaches without having to prove that no qualified and regularly certified applicants are available.

Districts should be able to hire the best coaches available. 107

EETF Proposed Changes: Subchapter 6

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6A:9-6.5(a)1 Substitute credentials

Report recommends allowing districts to use private vendors in employing substitutes, i.e. as temp agencies.

Eases district administrative burdens / costs.107

6A:9-6.5 (c) Substitute credentials

Report recommends amendments to implement use of private vendors for securing substitutes.

Eases district administrative burdens / costs.107

6A:9-6.5(d) Substitute credentials

Report recommends that Superintendent rather than local Board would have authority to request emergent hires [prior to criminal history check] for substitutes.

Speeds process; local Board involvement results in delays. 108

6A:9-6.5(f) and (n) Substitute credentials

Report recommends at (f) allowing holders of instructional CEs and CEASs to serve as substitutes in their fields without having to purchase substitute credential. Report recommends at (n) allowing same for administrative and educational services certificate holders.

(f) reduces applicants' costs; (n) reduces applicants' costs and broadens pool of quality substitutes.

108

6A:9-6.5(g) Substitute credentials

Report recommends allowing holders of instructional CEs and CEASs to serve as substitutes outside their fields without having to purchase substitute credentials.

Reduces applicants' costs. This is a clarification of the proposed change in the line above. 109

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EETF Proposed Changes: Subchapters 9 & 11


6A:9-9.1(a)1i Elementary School Teacher authorization

Report recommends changing grade range from K-5 to K-6.

Offers greater flexibility in assigning teachers for self-contained classrooms in smaller and K-6 districts. Therefore it has no implications for highly qualified status of such teachers. Grade range would be similar to CT, DE, MD.

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6A:9-11.2 (c) Career and Technical Education

Report would allow experience-based CTE alternate route teachers to pass basic skills tests prior to issuance of standard certificate or to renewal of provisional certificate, rather than prior to issuance of initial certificate. Related amendments require the hiring district to support basic skills in these teachers' classrooms and to support these novice teachers in preparing for the basic skills tests.

Provides flexibility to CTE districts in filling positions such as teachers of plumbing, electricity, and other trades.

111

6A:9-11.11(a)1 "Middle School" Report recommends allowing holders of N-12 instructional endorsements to qualify for middle school endorsements upon meeting all other requirements, rather having to first obtain the elementary teacher endorsement as at present.

Offers regulatory flexibility to candidates and districts.

113

kbrown

Need to renumber slides and reformat

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6A:9-12.7(b) School business administrator

Residencies are a requirement for all novice SBAs. Report recommends permitting residencies for novice SBAs in approved private schools for the disabled, where they are currently not approved.

Offers regulatory flexibility to candidates and approved private schools for the disabled. 116

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6A:9-13.3 School nurse (also can teach health)

Report recommends reducing certification study requirements from 30 semester hour credits in addition to registered nurse (RN) license to 12 absolutely essential semester hour credits in addition to the RN license. Instead of fully adopting the report's recommended reduction, the proposed amendments would reduce requirements to 21 essential semester credit hours. These change other current requirements to professional development requirements that must be met within the first threeyears of novice employment (human growth and development; fundamentals of substance abuse; human and intercultural relations). Required study will continue in school nursing, including school health services, physical assessments, organization and administration of the school health program and clinical experience in a school nurse office; health assessment; special education and/or learning disabilities; methods of teaching health; public health; guidance and counseling; and school law. The report and amendments also eliminate the previously required practicum.

Addresses shortage of qualified school nurse candidates. Proposed requirements close to those of MA and NY.

116

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EETF Proposed Changes: Subchapter 13 (cont.)


6A:9-13.4 School nurse, non-instructional

Report recommends reducing certification study requirements from 21 semester hour credits in addition to registered nurse (RN) license to 9 absolutely essential semester hour credits in addition to the RN license. Instead of fully adopting the report's recommended reduction, the proposed amendments would reduce requirements to 15 essential semester credit hours. These change other current requirements to professional development requirements that must be met within the first three years of novice employment (human growth and development; fundamentals of substance abuse; human and intercultural relations). Required study will continue in school nursing, including school health services, physical assessments, organization and administration of the school health program and clinical experience in a school nurse office; health assessment; special education and/or learning disabilities; methods of teaching health; public health; guidance and counseling; and school law. The report and amendments also eliminate the previously required practicum.

Addresses shortage of qualified school nurse candidates. Proposed requirements close to those of MA and NY.

118

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6A:9-15 Professional Development for Teachers and School Leaders

Report recommends combining requirements for teachers and school leaders at 6A:9-15 and 6A:9-16, respectively, into a single chapter.

Streamlines regulations.

118

6A:9-15.1 General provisions Report recommends adding general provisions for school leaders to the subchapter that previously covered only teachers.

Consequence of combining teacher and school leader requirements into one chapter. 119

6A:9-15.2 Definition of professional development

Report recommends clarifying the definition of high quality professional development for teachers for enhanced student learning.

Reflects research and best practice; clarifies a continuous improvement model based on data and shared responsibility.

119

6A:9-15.3 Standards for professional learning

Report recommends updating teacher and school leader professional development standards to align with recommendations from representatives of leading education associations and organizations who reviewed research and best practices for effective professional learning. The revision would reorganize and reduce the previous number of standards to focus attention on educator learning development that leads to successful student learning.

Reorganizes and reduces the number of standards from 12 to seven; more succinct guide for district and school practices.

120

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6A:9-15.4 Requirements for individual teacher professional development planning and implementation

Report recommends stipulating the requirements for teachers' individual professional development plans and aligning these plans with annual evaluation results. Report specifically replaces the current 100 hour requirement spaced over 5 years with a 20 hour per year requirement that can be prorated based on family or medical leave.

Shifts focus from compliance to goal-setting for student outcomes and other school and district priorities; simplifies tracking of professional development hours. 120

6A:9-15.5 Requirements for school-level professional development planning and implementation

Report recommends giving the principal (in consultation with teachers) accountability for school-level professional development, instead of the elected School Professional Development Committee.

Overseeing the ongoing development and growth of professional staff is a core responsibility of the principal. 121

6A:9-15.6 Requirements for district-level professional development planning and implementation

Report recommends giving the superintendent and district board of education accountability for professional development across the district. Report also recommends including the professional development needs of school leaders in the planning process.

Streamlines the governance structure for plan development, approval and implementation by removing required external reviews by a county level board; makes planning inclusive of all professionals.

122

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6A:9-15.7 Implementation of the professional development requirement for school leaders

Report recommends stipulating the criteria for chief school administrators', principals' and supervisors' individual professional development plans; also would give accountability for the chief school administrator's professional development to the district board of education; also would align individual plans for principals and supervisors with annual evaluation results.

Localizes the oversight process; focuses school leader professional development on student outcomes and other school and district priorities.

123

6A:9-15.8 Requirements for school leaders professional development in ethics, law and governance

Report recommends incorporating the currently existing statutory and regulatory requirement for ethics training into the professional development plan process.

Consolidates all professional development requirements as part of the individual professional development plan; provides individuals and districts with flexibility in meeting the requirement.

124

6A:9-15.9 Monitoring and assistance

Report recommends emphasizing the responsibility and duty of each district board of education to provide high quality professional development to its professionals.

High quality professional development is a key lever for student academic success; support for professional development must be a core responsibility of each district.

124

6A:9-15.10 State committee on professional learning

Report recommends replacing the separate Professional Teaching Standards Board and Professional Development Advisory Committee for School Leaders with a single state-level advisory committee on professional learning.

Reflects the need to integrate support and guidance for all professionals; centralizes advisory process and streamlines committee facilitation process. 126

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6A:9-16.1 and 16.2 Alternate Routes for Documented Teacher Shortage Areas

Report recommends allowing the Commissioner wide latitude in approving proposals for alternate route programs for documented teacher shortage areas such as math, science, special education, ESL, and bilingual ed. Programs would be able to propose a range of study requirements, clinical experience and mentoring / support. Programs would partner with districts. These amendments would for example allow the Commissioner to approve programs that reduce the entry level requirements for math and the sciences.

Allows Commissioner to address needs in documented shortage areas, including but not limited to the type of alternate route programs for math, the sciences, and social science that were proposed in the Governor's Report but not specifically included in these amendments. 126

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Proposed Changes Not From EETF


Throughout 6A:9 Recommend deletion of sections with expired deadlines. Also recommends the use of State to denote New Jersey and state to denote all other states

Cleanup and clarification.

N/A

6A:9-6.2 Provisional Certificate

Recommend an amendment clarifying that provisional certificates, which ordinarily do not require residencies for novice employees in educational service endorsements, may in fact be required for some of these endorsements.

Without this amendment, this section is in direct contradiction to novice employee residencies required for educational services endorsements such as library media specialists and student assistance coordinators.

N/A

6A:9-8.4(b)4, (c), (c)1 and (c)2

Mentoring Amendments delete the phrase “local Professional Development Committee” because this entity no longer exists in proposed new subchapter 15 on Professional Development, and replaces the phrase with “district superintendent,” who is now responsible for the overall district professional development plan.

For consistency with new professional development amendments proposed in 6A:9-15.

N/A

6A:9-11.12(c) Swimming and water safety (swim teachers)

Amendment requires substitutes for swimming and water safety teachers to hold all three of the safety certificates required of the regular teachers of swimming and water safety.

Student safety. Without this amendment, it is possible for a substitute teacher for such classes to have no lifesaving, CPR, or water safety instruction training. N/A

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Proposed Changes Not From EETF (cont.)


6A:9-12.4(a)2i thru 2vi and 6A:9-12.5(a)2i thru 2vi

School Administrator and Principal, respectively

Amendments replace study requirements for School Administrator and Principal with new ISLLC standards.

Code update incorporates existing practices in new national standards. N/A

6A:9-12.4(e)2 and 6A:9-12.5(e)2

School Administrator and Principal, respectively

Amendments allow the Commissioner to reduce or remove the residency requirement based on the prior experience of the candidate.

Easing of induction rules for novice administrators.

N/A

Documents

October 3, 2012