Preparation & Approval Updates Penney McRoy and Fran Jackson Educator Preparation Division

Agenda for this hour Topics: Preparation Rule Changes: 2009 – 2010 Program Admission Requirements Field Experience Requirements K-5 Mathematics and K-5 Science Endorsements Special Education Program Content Concentration Requirements Q & A

2009 Rule Changes Unit and Program Requirements GaTAPP Special Education Preschool School Nutrition Director Coaching Endorsement-- NEW

2009 Rule Changes Updated Terms or Names: Special Education General Curriculum / Early Childhood Education Healthcare Science and Technology Education Coordinator of Career Academic Education Endorsement Work Based Learning Endorsement Career Technical Instruction Endorsement

Out-of-state Ed Leadership programs SPA program recognition PSC reporting requirements P-12 field experience requirements Instructional Technology

Impact on Ed. Leadership Out-of-state Ed. Leadership programs may seek approval in GA if certain conditions are met: –NCATE Accredited –ELCC Recognized (approved) –Meet PSC Standards 7 & 8 –Meet GA Residency Requirements

Impact on Ed. Leadership Out-of-state Ed. Leadership programs may seek approval in GA if certain conditions are met If these conditions are not met, can’t offer Ed.S. or doctorate that leads to initial certification in Ed. Leadership

SPA Recognition Programs based on standards from Specialized Professional Association (SPA) –National Recognition Status GaPSC PRS – only Standard 7 –Recognition with Conditions or other status GaPSC PRS requirements will be determined based on SPA Review Report Guidance document is in development now Schedule a Review Timeline discussion with your GaPSC Education Specialist

Reporting Requirements PAAR must be submitted on time Fines Change in Unit approval status Low-performing status

P-12 Program Field Experiences Experiences prior to student teaching must occur in all appropriate grade levels... OLD: 5 grade level experiences required –Pk-K; 1-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 NEW: 4 grade level experiences required –Pk-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 More on field experiences later

Instructional Technology Clarified program requirements Focus – integrating technology; using technology to help all students learn Options for meeting standards: –Embed experiences throughout program and assess them –A single course is neither required nor desirable –Test-out is not an option

GaTAPP Fundamental redesign of PSC rules for alternative preparation & certification All routes are collapsed under one prep rule – Aim is to simplify, create consistency, & to provide better prep & support for non- traditional candidates

GaTAPP New Name – Ga Teacher Academy for Preparation & Pedagogy (GaTAPP) New Structure – umbrella for all non- traditional routes to certification –Comprehensive Path (the “full GaTAPP”) –Adjunct Teacher Path (License only) –ADAC Path –Core Academic Prep Path –Clinical Practice Path –OYSP Path

GaTAPP New Organization Non-Traditional Flexible timeframe for completion Job-embedded with coaching Non-Credit/Non-Degree Individualized around identified candidate needs

Special Ed Preschool Changed age range to match Certification Rule Changes requested from the field Ages 3 – 5 A Task Force is studying the need to revise program content standards to address 3-year olds

School Nutrition Director Certification-only program Related fields of study Expansion of responsibilities Updated terminology

Coaching Endorsement New endorsement rule became effective May 15, 2009 Institutions & other units encouraged to create programs Educational Leadership and GaTAPP rules require coaching; others to come

Projected Rule Changes : Distance education and approval of online programs Teacher Leadership: New endorsement standards Health & Physical Education: Program content standards will be updated Science Education: Program content standards will be streamlined/updated Educational Interpreter: New prep and cert rules Educational Leadership: Revisions to address ambiguities and challenges

Teacher Leadership Task force began work in July to review & revise endorsement rule –Development of teacher leader standards –Consider issues related to links/overlap with other endorsements & programs such as Coaching, TSS, National Board Certification, Master Teacher –Consider relationship to Educational Leadership Programs & to Teacher Leader degree programs –Examine national trends in teacher leader development

Educational Leadership Task Force began work this fall to review current educational leadership rules (prep & certification) to “clean-up” some issues –Has there been an impact on Ed.S. programs & hiring practices resulting from the “test in” allowance? –Adjustment of the definition of “leadership” and “leadership position” to create greater congruence between rules, law, and practice

Educational Leadership Task force purposes (continued) Address the “bridge” between school level and system level preparation Remove any unnecessary wording Adjust wording to account for out-of-state GaPSC approved leadership programs Conversion of L to PL Other concerns

Program Admission Requirements GPA requirements Rule (item #8) Basic Skills Assessment –New exemption for Master’s degree –Explicit language will be added to –Score requirements

GPA Requirements Program Exit Requirements for Certification Rule (page 6, Item #3)

Field Experience Requirements Field Experience Grade-Level Placement Requirements: Early Childhood P-5 (PK-K, 1-3, and 4-5) Middle Grades (4-5 and 6-8) Secondary (6-8 and 9-12) P-12 (PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12)

Field Experience Requirements PSC Suggestions: Provide documentation of placements (note diverse settings and diverse populations) Ensure collaboration with school partners Encourage participation in Field Director’s Group Consider varied options (e.g., private schools)

Field Experience Requirements Standard 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practice 3a. Collaboration Between Unit and School Partners Designing, delivering and evaluating field experiences and clinical practice…… Jointly determining specific placement of student teachers and interns for other professional roles Sharing expertise to support candidates’ learning in field experiences and clinical practice

Field Experience Requirements 3b. Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice Criteria for school faculty are clear and known to all of the involved parties School faculty are accomplished professionals who are prepared for their roles as mentors and supervisors Clinical faculty use multiple measures and multiple assessments to evaluate candidates KSDs

Field Experience Requirements 3c. Candidates’ Development and Demonstration of Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions to Help all Students Learn Candidates and clinical faculty jointly conduct assessments of candidate performance throughout clinical practice Both field experiences and clinical practice allow time for reflection and include feedback from peers and clinical faculty Candidates and clinical faculty systematically examine results related to P-12 learning

K-5 Math and Science Endorsement Programs Handouts: Proposed Rules Timeline

Overview of HB 280 Math/Sci. Endorsements for kindergarten & elementary teachers Clearly addresses teachers who teach in traditional grade structure, K-5 After 5 years can continue to advance if meets/exceeds student achievement criteria

Overview of HB 280 Post-baccalaureate, non-degree Independent of an initial prep program Specifies min. # of courses represented by content & pedagogy courses Authentic residency Standards-based programs

Changes Doesn’t align with current PSC certificate structure (P-5; 4-8) Must be post-baccalaureate Can’t be part of an initial prep degree program May need to strengthen field experiences

Task Force PSC convened a task force to address the K-5 Math & Science endorsements –Revision of science standards –Development of rules (prep & cert) –Development of guidelines that will assist units in the development of these endorsements

Timeline September – Task force completed work on rule revisions October 8 th – New rules initiated; Task force continues work on Guidelines Oct Nov.15 – Public comment period December – New rules adopted(?); Guidelines distributed to program providers January 15, 2010 – New rules effective Feb. - March – Programs reviewed by BOE teams Summer 2010 – Programs operational

Special Education Programs: Content Requirements Handout Rule Programs must include content concentration coursework –Options – “Test-out” while in a program is not an option

Questions?

Educator Preparation If You Need Additional Information Your first point of contact is your GaPSC Education Specialist *Directory--right folder pocket Penney McRoy or