Georgia Professional Standards Commission Code of Ethics Presentation

Georgia Professional Standards Commission Code of Ethics Presentation for RESA

Gary Walker 2

New and Improved Gary Walker 3

Old News n Abandonment of Contracts n Confidential Information n Remuneration of Funds 4

Routine News n Testing is a huge issue n Inappropriate relationships with students is a great concern n Honesty infractions are on the rise n Mandated reporting is required 5

Georgia Not Only State With Questionable Test Scores 6

Nationwide Problem n Over 196 of the largest 3, 125 school systems in the United States has suspect test score improvement n Odds of obtaining these reported results by chance alone is over 1000 to 1 n In 33 of these school systems, the odds were worse than 1, 000 to 1 7

Testing n United States spends $760, 000 a year on testing required by NCLB n States are left to their own in monitoring the testing n Most states do not have resources to conduct investigations of this magnitude n One graduate student, in her dissertation, surveyed teachers in her state and found that 50% of teachers either had cheated or knew a colleague who had cheated 8

New n We have moved! Twin Towers-West 200 Piedmont Avenue-Suite 1702 n Three new commissioners began in September-Scott Justus (Hall County), Kami Luigs (GE), Sheryl Stalvey (Colquitt County). n School Systems are aware of Code of Ethics-in the last 4 years only 5 school systems have not reported a violation 9

New (cont’d) n Unsatisfactory Evaluation-required reporting and superintendent signs off on assurance form-due no later than June 15 of each year n Technology Baiting, Sexting, and Access n Task Force Initiative 10

New (cont’d) n Clearance Certificates n People holding a Clearance Certificate: 56, 434 n People who hold only a Clearance Certificate: 29 n Are Charter schools in compliance with O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -211. 1?

Professional Standards Commission and Clearance Certificates - Present n 218 Approved Charter schools n 92% of Georgia students attend the public schools of Georgia - 1, 673, 740 students n Private Schools - 107, 509 students n Home School - 42, 474 students

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Popular Wal-Mart Wines n Branding is the key to sales…. n Chateau Traileur Parc n White Trashfindel n World Championship Riesling n NASCARbernet n Chef Boyardeaux n Peanut Noir n Grape Expectations n Nasti Spumante 14

Information and Data 15

Status of APS Cases n 185 educators were reported to the PSC n 144 case summaries have been presented to the PSC for probable cause determination n 41 cases are still under investigation n 13 will go to Commission this month n The PSC is waiting for the Fulton County DA to release their investigative files

Status of Dougherty County Cases n The PSC has received approximately 47 cases from the Governor’s Special Investigators n The PSC voted to investigate the allegations at the September meeting. n The staff is working to present the Dougherty Co. cases to the PSC in January and February

Probable Cause Results Year FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 Denied 15 20 31 26 25 42 23 33 25 13 18 18 Revoked 58 44 62 57 93 72 76 54 71 67 58 92 Voluntary Surrender 14 16 21 20 22 17 26 16 27 28 20 25 Total 87 80 114 103 140 131 125 103 123 108 96 135

January, 2012 -January, 2013 n Legal compliance-48 n Conduct with Students-52 n Alcohol and Drugs-21 n Honesty-62 n Public Funds and Property-23 n Remunerative Conduct-1 n Confidential Information-0 19

Sanctions n Abandonment of Contract-2 n Required Reports-13 n Professional Conduct-31 n Testing-195 n Total-448 20

Sanction n Should a certificate be revoked, it is the responsibility of the Superintendent that the Educator not be allowed on a school campus or work with students for the duration of the sanction. 21

West Georgia RESA FY 2011 n Carroll County-6 n Carrollton City-0 n Coweta County-5 n Harris County-3 n Heard County-0 n Meriwether County-9 n Troup County-8 n Total-31 n RESAs avg-61 FY 2012 n Carroll County-3 n Carrollton City-6 n Coweta County-10 n Harris County-2 n Heard County-2 n Meriwether County-2 n Troup County-5 n Total-30 n RESAs avg-64

Regional Ethics Case Rates RESA 2011 Cases 2011 # Certified Educators per Case 2012 Cases 2012 # Certified Educators per Case CSRA 34 178 35 173 Chatt-Flint 63 72 51 88 Coastal Plains 32 134 35 123 First District 71 146 50 207 Griffin 56 146 64 128 9 204 426 120 505 101 Middle Georgia 55 103 47 120 North Georgia 23 255 21 279 Northeast Georgia 29 214 40 155 Northwest Georgia 44 203 47 190 Oconee 14 91 24 53 Okefenokee 12 184 Pioneer 15 377 21 270 Southwest Georgia 58 76 34 130 West Georgia 31 162 30 167 974 / 61 132 1025 / 64 129 Heart of Georgia Metro State Totals/Average Number of Certified Educators based on 2011 System Report Card, Georgia Department of Education

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Interesting Cases 26

Standard # 1 -Legal Compliance n School system reported that an educator had been arrested for Forgery/Obtaining Dangerous Drugs by Fraud. n Upon investigation, it was noted that the educator had been arrested 3 times during the last 9 months on similar charges and admitted to having an addiction. 27

Standard # 2 -Conduct with Students n The Educator was arrested and charged with a criminal offense-cruelty to children. n The charge was dismissed in exchange for the educator’s testimony against her spouse. 28

Standard #2 -Conduct with Students n Two school system employees reported that the educator admitted to them that he engaged in sexual activity with a female student while he was her coach. n System investigated n Educator resigned 29

Conduct with Students n The Educator began an inappropriate relationship with a student during the school year and continued after graduation n Student moved in with Educator n He said nothing physical happened until after graduation-student said otherwise. Eventually she moved out. n Educator admitted to currently dating another student but said it was ok since he was no longer a teacher. 30

Standard # 3 -Alcohol and Drugs n Educator was behaving in an unusual manner and smelled of alcohol. n Teacher reported suspicion to principal n Educator admitted to consuming approximately 6 beers between 5: 00 a. m. and 7: 00 a. m. n He said he was drinking because it was just Field Day 31

Standard # 5 -Public Funds and Property n Educator used school computer to access and store inappropriate material n Students observed at least one inappropriate image n Educator said he had an addiction to pornography. 32

Contact information n Paul A. Shaw n paul. shaw@gapsc. com n 404 -232 -2635 33