TSPC -The Licensing Process

OSPA Conference

October 18th, 2010

Public Service RepresentativesJamila Miller

4 Public Service Reps (PSRs) Serve as first contact when anyone contacts

the office, including:– Applicants – School Districts (in and out of the state)– Institutions of higher education (in and out of the

state)

Public Service Representatives (cont)

Answer questions, advise applicants, assist outside organizations by: – Responding to walk in customers– Fielding and returning phone calls– Answering emails– Forwarding questions to others within agency, as

needed

Statistics for September 2010

Incoming phone calls and emails: = 6,147

Incoming applications to process: = 2,263

Total documents received to review for quality (includes applications, PEER forms, district letters, transcripts, etc.):

= 10,517

Statistics for September 2010

Phone calls and emails responses: = 5,523 (of 6,147 questions

received) Applications processed:

= 1,821 (of 2,263 applications received)

Total documents reviewed:= 6,173 (of 10,517 documents

received)

Professional PracticesJoanne Kandle

Staff include:– 1 manager– 3 investigators– 2 investigative assistants– 1 legal liaison

Must investigate ALL complaints filed with the agency, by statute– Includes wide range of issues

Professional Practices(cont)

How to file a complaint?– Formal report must be submitted before

investigation can be opened– Districts can file a report on district letterhead– Others are encouraged to use on-line complaint

form How are cases prioritized? Please note: There are new character

questions and instructions

Pre-evaluationStephanie Gross

2 Pre-evaluators First step:

– Review documents to ensure that we have all materials required for requested license

Second step: – Inform applicant if any required items are missing

or incomplete

Pre-evaluation

We notify districts under the following circumstances:– Employing SD known– Co-application from SD– Expedited

Pre-evaluation – Common Incomplete Errors

PEER forms not received Unsealed PEER forms/transcripts PEER forms not dated Application not acceptable due to no

signature, no date, character questions not completed

Coursework not completed/submitted Tests not completed/submitted

EvaluatorsMaria Odle

3 Evaluators– First, review file to ensure complete (yes, again)

Review file to determine:– Does PEER form indicate proper assignment?

If not properly assigned, send letter to district After letter received, send referral to Executive Director

– CPD completed?– Coursework completed?– Exams completed?

Issue license

Staff Receiving Your Calls

Public Service Reps: Amanda Hill Patty Liddell Jamila Miller Mike Newton (retiring)

Investigative Assistants: Cristina Edgar Joanne Kandle

Pre-Evaluators: Stephanie Gross Beth Jones

Evaluators: Linda Helton Maria Odle Heidi Reinhardt

Questions?

Do you have questions for us about this internal licensing process?

TSPC PresentationLicenses 101

Beth Jones

October 18th, 2010

Types of Teaching Licenses

21st Century Licensure– Initial – Initial 1– Initial 2– Continuing

1965 – 1999– Basic – Standard

Who Should Hold a License?

TeachersAdministratorsCounselorsSchool PsychologistsCharter School Educators

(Registries)

Initial Teaching License

First Oregon license for out-of-state educators

Valid for 18 months Must complete requirements for Initial 1

Teaching license within those 18 months

Initial 1 Teaching License

The first stage non-provisional license valid for regular full-time teaching

Requirements:– Regionally accredited Bachelor’s degree or higher– Completion of an initial teacher education

program approved by the commission– Passing scores on basic skills, subject matter and

civil rights exams

Renewal of Initial 1 Teaching License

This license is valid for 18 months or 3 years during first renewal cycle– The length of time depends upon whether

applicant first held an Initial License

Following the first renewal, this license may be renewed twice, for 3 years each time

Renewal of Initial 1 Teaching License (cont)

License can be renewed with completion of 3 semester or 4.5 quarter hours graduate credit

This credit must be earned after license was first issued

Can renew this license up to a maximum of 10 years total

Initial II Teaching License

Ten (1) years from the date of issuance of the first Initial Teaching License, educator must – Verify completion of requirements for the Initial II

Teaching License by meeting one of two options

Initial Teaching License II (cont)

If Initial License was received from a bachelor’s degree:– A master’s degree OR – in lieu of a master’s degree,

15 quarter hours graduate preparation in subject-matter coursework; and

15 quarter hours in graduate-level education-related coursework; and

15 quarter hours in graduate-level electives.

Initial Teaching License II (cont)

If Initial License was based on a post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program or master’s degree:– 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of graduate level

coursework since the Initial Teaching License was first issued

Coursework must be germane to teaching license or directly germane to public school employment and may include:

– pedagogy, or – content related to existing endorsement or authorization, or– content related to a new endorsement or authorization.

Continuing Teaching License - Optional

The Continuing Teaching License is now optional; however, it is still considered to be an indication of the highest-level of achievement possible for an Oregon teacher.

TSPC considers the accomplishment equivalent to attaining the National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards certification.

Continuing Teaching License (cont)

Candidate for the CTL must: Complete all requirements of the Initial Teaching License and Hold a master’s degree or higher in the arts and sciences or

hold an advanced degree in the profession from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or

the foreign equivalent of such degree approved by the commission, together with an equally accredited bachelor’s degree; and

Have taught five years of at least half-time or more on any non-provisional license appropriate for the assignment in any state; and

Continuing Teaching License (cont)

Complete a Continuing Teaching License program offered by a college or university; or

– Complete a doctorate degree in education from a regionally accredited institution; or

– Have been Certified by the National Boards of Professional Teaching Standards; or

– Hold Certificate of Clinical Competence awarded by the American Speech and Hearing Association for those holding a communication disorders endorsement

Grade Levels for Initial/Continuing

Early Childhood (ECE) –

Valid for any multiple subjects teaching assignment, except assignments in specialty areas, in prekindergarten (pre K) through grade four (4) in a school designated as a pre-primary school, a primary school, or an elementary school

Elementary (ELE) –

Valid for any multiple subjects teaching assignment, except assignments in specialty areas in grades three (3) through eight (8)

Grade Levels for Initial/Continuing

Middle Level (ML) -

Valid for any multiple subjects teaching assignment, except assignments in specialty areas, in grades five (5) through nine (9) of a school designated as an elementary, middle, junior high school, or high school

High School (HS) -

Valid for teaching one or more integrated or departmentalized subjects, with which the license must be endorsed, in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) of a school designated as a high school

Grade Levels for Initial/Continuing

Specialty Areas: The ECE/ELE authorization levels with a

multiple subjects endorsement is not valid for assignments requiring specialization endorsement such as: – Art, Music, ESOL, ESOL/Bilingual, PE, Adaptive

PE, Educational Media, Reading, or Special Ed

ORELA Tests

Pearson is the company that designs the National Evaluation Series (NES) tests.

NES is the national “umbrella” series of exams. Oregon Evaluation Licensing Assessment

(ORELA) is the new Oregon-specific exam series. (Please see handout for list of tests which are ORELA

and which are still Praxis.)

NES Exams

Computer-based On-demand scheduling Over 200 testing centers nationwide Online preparation materials Full-length practice tests Immediate scores Detailed feedback Faculty resources ResultsAnalyzer©

Areas that do NOT require an Endorsement

Some general examples include: Alternative Education TAG Observing Occupations Photography Study Hall Leadership Student Leadership Computers Personal Finance Outdoor education Career Education Study skills Dance/Drill Team SAT Preparation Journalism Sign Language Basic Skills Class (non-chapter 1) Resource Room (non-special Ed)

School District Letters to TSPC

When should you write a letter to TSPC? District letters are required for the following:

– Emergency license– Any restricted license– If an educator’s license lapses, the school district

will likely be asked to provide a written explanation

Questions?

Beth Jones, Pre-Evaluator

TSPC