Georgia Professional Standards Commission West Georgia RESA Presentation

Georgia Professional Standards Commission West Georgia RESA Presentation March 24, 2016

What is Ethics? 2

Ethics n Knowledge-codes, rules, knowing right from wrong n Conduct-behavior that aligns with knowledge n Ethics-courage to execute in the midst of pressure n Doing what is right when no one is looking 3

Questions n Complete the following sentences with an elbow partner…. n The most ethical person I know is…. . n This person is ethical because… 4

Rachel Spates 5

3 Main Duties of Educators n. Teach the Children n. Protect the Students n. Conduct Themselves Professionally and Ethically 6

TKEs/LKEs 7

What the Evaluators of Teachers are Required to Do: n Conduct Orientation n Analyze results of teachers’ Self. Assessments as required Pre-Evaluation Conference n Conduct 4 Walk-throughs/2 Formative Observations n Engage all teachers in Mid-year Conference discussing Student Growth data and TAPS Standards 1/15/2022 8

Evaluators of Teachers n n n Certify the SLO Pre- and Post-Assessments were administered according to LEA’s “window” Ensure Roster Verification process is completed in November and April by all teachers Administer Surveys of Instructional Practice to students utilizing results in Summative Assessment ratings Complete 1 Summative Assessment Conduct Individual Summative Assessment Conferences Complete 2 Formative Assessments utilizing results of the Walk-throughs, Formative Observations, and requested Documentation from teachers 1/15/2022 9

What the Evaluators of Leaders are Required to Do: Conduct Orientation n Analyze results of leaders’ Self-Assessments which are discussed in required Pre-Evaluation Conference n Finalize 2 Performance Goals in Pre-Evaluation Conference and outline documentation that must be submitted before Formative Assessment n Complete Formative Assessment on each leader n Engage all leaders in Mid-year Conference discussing results of Formative Assessment n 1/15/2022 10

Evaluators of Leaders n Continue collecting documentation to be utilized in rating LAPS standards for Summative Assessment n Administer Climate Surveys to certified/classified staff utilizing results in Summative Assessment ratings n Complete 1 Summative Assessment n Conduct individual Summative Assessment Conferences 1/15/2022 11

Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) n New Territory for Ga. PSC n Our Focus is on mandated Standardized State Testing n Report Only Major Violations of SLOs Testing n Cite What School System Has Done 12

Abandonment of Contract 13

PSC Guidelines n Submit resignation before June 1 n After June 1 for illness in family which requires educator to provide care, for spousal transfer which requires unreasonable commute, or promotion within the field of education 14

Abandonment Questions n Why do some school systems release educator from contract and others file complaint with the PSC? n Does payment of liquidated damages fee constitute a release? n Is it okay to release weak teachers but require good teachers to honor the contract? n Does area of certification matter? 15

Abandonment Questions (cont’d) n Should a school system be consistent or consider each case individually? n Should a school system offer a contract to an educator who is under contract with another system? n Does it make a difference if the educator sought the position rather than being recruited? 16

Standard #8 n School Systems are encouraged to handle employment issues locally n Liquidated damages assessment complicates abandonment n Look at effect on students n Ga. PSC looks at date letter of resignation was sent, reason for resignation (sickness, promotion, or commute issues) n Action School System has taken 17

Statistics from one Metro Atlanta School System Year # of individuals walking away from their employment agreement after June 1 FY 14 554 FY 15 609 18

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

Sanctions-February, 2015 February, 2016 n Legal compliance - 41 n Conduct with Students - 63 n Alcohol and Drugs - 20 n Honesty - 57 n Public Funds and Property - 9 n Remunerative Conduct - 3 n Confidential Information - 1 20

Sanctions n Abandonment of Contract - 6 n Required Reports - 16 n Professional Conduct - 37 n Testing - 15 n Total - 268 21

RESA Totals FY 2015 n CSRA - 31 n Chattahoochee - 30 n Coastal Plains - 34 n First District - 70 n Griffin - 59 n Heart of Georgia - 6 n Metro - 289 n Middle Georgia - 45 n North Georgia - 34 FY 2014 n CSRA - 72 n Chattahoochee - 30 n Coastal Plains - 31 n First District - 124 n Griffin - 53 n Heart of Georgia - 12 n Metro - 317 n Middle Georgia - 51 n North Georgia - 28

RESA Totals FY 2015 n NE Georgia - 29 n NW Georgia - 36 n Oconee - 12 n Okefenokee - 14 n Pioneer - 16 n SW Georgia - 30 n West Georgia - 26 n RESA Avg - 48 n RESA Total - 761 FY 2014 n NE Georgia - 64 n NW Georgia - 53 n Oconee - 10 n Okefenokee - 10 n Pioneer - 34 n SW Georgia - 45 n West Georgia - 18 n RESA Avg - 60 n RESA Total - 955

Open Cases by RESA -Teachers Listed on CPI Report 2015 n n n n CSRA -. 0063 Chattahoochee -. 0094 Coastal Plains -. 0097 First District -. 0083 Griffin -. 0088 Heart of Ga. -. 0042 Metro -. 0068 Middle Ga. -. 0100 2015 n North Ga. -. 0070 n NE Ga. -. 0058 n NW Ga. -. 0050 n Oconee -. 0123 n Okefenokee -. 0077 n Pioneer -. 0032 n SW Ga. -. 0085 n W. Ga. -. 0065 n Avg. -. 0070

25

West Georgia RESA FY 2015 n Carroll County-3 n Carrollton City-4 n Coweta County-4 n Harris County-2 n Heard County-1 n Meriwether County-4 n Troup County-8 n Total-26 n RESAs avg-48 FY 2014 n Carroll County-0 n Carrollton City-4 n Coweta County-2 n Harris County-1 n Heard County-0 n Meriwether County-7 n Troup County-4 n Total-18 n RESAs avg-60

Who Are the Guilty Educators? n Popular teachers n Paraprofessionals n CTAE, Coaches, Fine arts n Teachers of Students with Disabilities n 34 % are initiated by Female teachers n 53% of reported cases are in grades K-8 27

Are Principals at Fault? n Encouraging relationships with students without providing the “how” n Awarding and Recognizing Teachers who get Involved in the Lives of their Students n Not providing Expectations and Training for Teachers when Supervising Students 28

Errors Made By Administrators n Failure to Investigate Rumors n Sloppy Investigation n Failure to Report Within 24 Hours n Too Trusting n Failure to follow requirements of TKEs n Failure to Train n Failure to Establish Culture of Ethical and Professional Behavior n Sending Mixed Messages 29

Scenario One n Spanish teacher plans a trip to Spain during the summer for her students and other interested students to experience a different culture and practice speaking the language n Is it a school sponsored trip or a independent trip? 30

Scenario One (continued) n Is it ethical for the teacher to receive a free trip from the travel agency by generating 10 paid travelers? n If more students attend, and another chaperone is added, should the chaperone go for free? n What if the additional chaperone is the principal’s wife …or another foreign language teacher at the school? 31

Scenario One (cont’d) n What is the discipline code for the trip? n What if the teacher holds meetings with the parents and students on school grounds? n Does it make a difference if students from another school participate in the trip? n What if travel agent messed up and when they arrive in Spain, there is no hotel available and no transportation from the airport? 32

New Issue 33

Clearance Certificates n Don’t get cute with titles n If they are around students, get clearance certificates for them if they do not qualify for a paraprofessional certificate n Exemptions-Custodians, Bus Drivers, and Food Service Workers excluding Director 34

Resources n Ethics Division n Carl Vinson Institute of Government-Russ Cook n Pro-Ethica-Educational Testing Services n FBI-Atlanta Office-Britt Johnson n Pioneer RESA-Ethics Course #1397 n Georgia Center for Child Advocacy 35

Interesting Slide 36

Interesting Non-relevant Information

Contact Information Paul A. Shaw, Director Ethics Division Phone: (404) 232 -2635 Email: paul. shaw@gapsc. com 38