Metro RESA Presentation February 14 2017 Georgia Professional Standards Commission Metro RESA Presentation February 14 2017 Georgia Professional Standards Commission

What is Ethics?

Ethics Knowledge-codes, rules, knowing right from wrong Conduct-behavior that aligns with knowledge Ethics-courage to execute in the midst of pressure Doing what is right when no one is looking

Questions Complete the following sentences with an elbow partner…. The most ethical person I know is….. This person is ethical because…

Alvin Wilbanks

Geye Hamby

Big Issue Standard 8-Abandonment of Contract

Recommendations Eliminate Standard 8 and move to Standard 10-Professional Conduct Refer as Breach of Contract and not Abandonment Magic date has been changed to June 15 PSC will not sanction certificate of educator if resignation is submitted by June 15

After June 15…6 Reasons Documented spousal transfer which requires unreasonable commute Documented health problems of family member or educator which results in educator being unable to fulfill contract obligations Documented promotion in the field of education which meets the following 3 criteria

Criteria Increase in Job Responsibility Increase in Job Prestige Reasonable increase in Salary Must meet all 3 criteria unless movement from classroom to service area. Ex. Media, Technology, Instructional Coach, Guidance, etc.

After June 15…continued School Systems issues “at will” employment contract to educator School District fails to fulfill its obligation in the contract such as not providing reasonable instructional support as requested or needed Payment of Liquidated Damages prior to June 15 will be considered a release from contract

Sanctions Educators (Superintendent, HR, Principal) in School/Systems providing a contract to an educator after June 15 without a letter of release from current school system may be subject to sanction

Statistics

Sanctions-January, 2016-January 2017 Legal compliance-33 Conduct with Students-124 Alcohol and Drugs-34 Honesty-98 Public Funds and Property-16 Remunerative Conduct-5 Confidential Information-0

Sanctions-January 2016-January 2017 Abandonment of Contract-38 Required Reports-14 Professional Conduct-90 Testing-24 Total-476

Year Denied Revoked Voluntary Total Surrender FY 2005 25 93 22 140 FY 2006 42 72 17 131 FY 2007 23 76 26 125 FY 2008 33 54 16 103 FY 2009 25 71 27 123 FY 2010 13 67 28 108 FY 2011 18 58 20 96 FY 2012 18 92 25 135 FY 2013 14 86 28 128 FY 2014 18 99 26 143 FY 2015 26 81 29 136 FY 2016 56 86 24 166

RESA Totals FY 2015 FY 2016 CSRA-31 Chattahoochee-30 Coastal Plains-34 First District-70 Griffin-59 Heart of Georgia-6 Metro-289 Middle Georgia-45 North Georgia-34 CSRA-49 Chattahoochee-37 Coastal Plains-40 First District-68 Griffin-56 Heart of Georgia-15 Metro-375 Middle Georgia-40 North Georgia-23

RESA Totals FY 2015 FY 2016 NE Georgia-29 NW Georgia-36 Oconee-12 Okefenokee-14 Pioneer-16 SW Georgia-30 West Georgia-26 RESA Avg-48 RESA Total-761 NE Georgia-37 NW Georgia-48 Oconee-17 Okefenokee-14 Pioneer-21 SW Georgia-34 West Georgia-25 RESA Avg-56 RESA Total-899

Metro RESA System FY2016 FY2015 FY2014 Atlanta Public Schools 104 73 60 Buford City 3 1 - Clayton County 27 44 41 Cobb County 45 58 32 Decatur City 2 DeKalb County 70 48 84 Douglas County 9 14 6 Forsyth County 7 4 Fulton County 52 23 33 Gwinnett County 19 42 Marietta City Rockdale County 16 11 Sum 375 289 317 Average 56

Administrators from Metro RESA Membership

Ethics Cases Opened in Last Ten Fiscal Years

New Cases Opened in FY2016 by Job Role

What about other Categories of Educators? Special Education teachers CTAE teachers Fine Arts Teachers Coaches All have constant contact with students and many have budgets to administer

Paraprofessionals Need additional training Special Education Students is a particular challenge for male paraprofessionals Looking to add Ethics Test for Paraprofessionals before issuing license

New Cases Opened in FY2016 Select Sub-role or Group *Teachers employed in a classroom while enrolled in GaTAPP or in a traditional program pursuing a MAT degree or certification only.

New Cases Opened in FY2016 by Experience

Ethics Cases Closed in FY 2016 Violation vs Gender Female Male Standard 1: Legal Compliance 222 118 Standard 2: Conduct With Students 62 75 Standard 3: Alcohol or Drugs 18 13 Standard 4: Honesty 155 76 Standard 5: Public Funds and Property 12 19 Standard 6: Remunerative Conduct 3 4 Standard 7: Confidential Information 35 9 Standard 8: Abandonment of Contract 6 2 Standard 9: Required Reports 204 100 Standard 10: Professional Conduct 228 160 Standard 11: Testing 25 Total 970 582 Notes: Cases may be based on the violation of more than one standard.

Questions If you could improve the ethical behavior of all of your school employees, what kind of difference would it make in the lives of your students? What do you do on an ongoing basis to promote a culture of ethical behavior? How often do you talk about ethics at your school?

Contact Information paul.shaw@gapsc.com 404-232-2635

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