Transcript Slide 1

SUMMARY
Indiana’s Proposed Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability (REPA)
Updated Oct. 21, 2009.
• Requires Emphasis on Content-Knowledge. Proposed changes would revise the licensing
requirements to emphasize teachers’ content knowledge.
o Elementary teachers (Pre-K to 6) must earn a baccalaureate degree consisting of an
education major with a content-area minor OR a content-area major with an education minor.
Education major must include no more than 30 credit hours in pedagogy.
Education minor must include no more than 18 credit hours in pedagogy.
o Secondary teachers (grades 5 to 12) must receive a baccalaureate degree consisting of
any applicable content-area major — as well as a minor in education.
Comments: In increasing content requirements, pedagogy appears to be lessened, it is hard to
argue the development of content knowledge, but not at the expense of pedagogy. Impact on
our PD programs – filling in the gaps.
Opens Door to Non-Traditional Administrators. Proposed changes would
allow school boards to hire administrators outside of the traditional education
system. (Building Level, Superintendent, Director of career/technical Education, Curriculum and Instruction,
Exceptional Needs)
o A school’s governing body must apply for a waiver with the Department of
Education. This waiver must also gain approval from the Advisory Board of the
Division of Professional Standards.
o If granted, these temporary administrator licenses would only be valid within
the employing school district. (valid until termination or expiration of the holder’s contract)
Comments: While creating opportunities for administrative leadership in hard to place communities:
Schools might wish to consider effective school leadership research and the impact on student achievement.
Having teaching and school experience should be valued.
Impact on teacher and program evaluation?
Impact Professional Development?
Understanding child development, learning disabilities, socio-economic backgrounds and the connections to student
learning and achievement.
Requires Testing of Every New Teacher Before Entering the Classroom.
Proposed changes would require all teaching candidates to pass certain tests
to demonstrate competence in content-area knowledge and pedagogy
(including the PRAXIS II exams).
o PRAXIS I tests would no longer be required for licensure. Instead, teaching
applicants would be required to demonstrate basic skills before being admitted
to schools of education.
Comments: [To eliminate confusion] The IDOE has recently released
information that the REPA proposal does not require teachers currently
licensed to take a “re-licensing test” for continued teaching or license renewal.
New Applicants will be required to pass such tests, but current teachers or
license holders will not. Future teachers will be required to pass (Praxis II)
exams for all content areas as a condition of initial licensure.
Changes Novice-Teacher Programs. Proposed changes would eliminate
portfolio and mentor program for new teachers. Mentor programs would
become a local option. Related changes would:
o Create a simplified Beginning Teacher Residency Program (BTRP), in which
a building-level administrator will be responsible for assessing a new teacher’s
effectiveness and developing a plan for professional improvement.
o Make NCATE measurement optional for school-of-education accreditation.
Comments:
Mentor teachers are optional
2 year program
Overall places more requirements on the building principal: professional growth
plan, assessment, conference requirements, etc.
Near the end of November the IDOE will be making more information available
on the BTRP.
Allows Current Teachers to use In-service Credits for License Renewal.
Proposed changes would make tuition-based course requirements for teachers
to renew their licenses optional as approved by the building level administrator.
Educators would have the option to use in-service credits and professional
development programs approved by a building-level administrator for renewal.
This could save teachers as much as $1,400 every five years in tuition costs.
o Only activities and courses directly related to student achievement will count
toward renewal.
Comments: Includes a professional growth plan (PGP) made up of professional growth experiences
(PGE). Approved by the building level principal equal to no less than 90 hours.
The IDOE is working towards providing a list of PD activities should be available near the end of
November.
Overall this places more requirements on the building principal: professional growth plan, approval,
conference requirements, etc.
Teachers will remain responsible for logging and keeping track of PD training – use a license renewal
report submitted with renewal application.
Impact on schools PD programs.
Schools may become the entity to apply for license renewal – Consider the impact on teacher, school
sites and the HR Department?
Simplifies Licensing Process for Out-of-State Teachers & Career
Changers.
Proposed changes would reduce licensing barriers for out-of-state teachers
and other highly knowledgeable adults looking to enter the teaching profession.
Related changes:
o Out-of-State Candidates: Eliminates transcript analysis by higher education
institutions. Requires these applicants to have three years of expertise in good
standing to receive a proficient practitioner license. Otherwise, they will receive
an initial practitioner license.
o Changing Professions: A teaching candidate with a baccalaureate degree
may obtain an Education minor and pass a content-knowledge test for
licensure.
Gives Local Administrators Greater Role in Professional Development
Decisions.
To target teacher development to the school level, proposed changes would
allow a building-level administrator (like a principal) to determine what type of
training teachers need most to improve student achievement and renew
teachers licenses.
Comment: Professional Development – In a climate of shrinking PD funds, loss
of PD time built into the school day, questions remain regarding what format(s)
and when PD opportunities would be made available for license renewal.
Reduces Teacher Licensing Categories. Proposed changes would reduce
the five school settings to three settings for licensure: Pre-K to 6, 5 to 12 and
Pre-K to 12.
o Eliminate outdated content areas. Example: bilingual/bicultural education
(duplication).
o Eliminate “reciprocal” license category.
Eases Restrictions on License Suspensions/Revocations.
Proposed changes would allow IDOE to accept license surrenders for
suspensions/revocations. This allows the Department to receive
surrenders from license-holder who are facing criminal charges and allows the
Department to provide a quicker response for license revocations.
When and how will educators be subject to these changes?
• New rules would go into effect July 31, 2010.
• Current teachers will convert their licenses to coincide with these new rules
upon renewal. The only exception will be for a LIFE license issued under a prior
licensing system.
• New rules will be grandfathered so that students in schools of education
graduating prior to 2011will not be affected by licensing changes.