November 2011

Worth Remembering
“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”
- Denis Waitley

Gary Freeland Retirement
As I announced during the October EPSB meeting, Gary Freeland, who has served as the EPSB Deputy Executive Director since October 2006, retired from state government on October 31. Gary came to the EPSB after seven years of dedicated service at KDE. He has a depth of knowledge in budget management and the state budget system that few in state government possess. He successfully reorganized our procurement and budget management procedures and did so with a gentle hand and a friendly smile. Known around the office as Big G, Gary has passed the litmus test of an excellent employee and friend: he leaves our agency and everyone who has had the pleasure of working with him better than he found us. 

EPSB Transitions to New Phone System
On October 21, all EPSB staff members made a change to a new telephone system. The staff is getting used to the new system, which routes calls automatically to certification consultants and to each division (except Legal Services) without going through the main operator. With enhanced capabilities in tracking calls and providing data for the number and duration of calls received by each staff member, the new system should provide more efficient service for incoming callers, as well as significant savings for the EPSB. 

As posted on the EPSB website, the agency’s main number remains 502-564-4606.  In addition, you may reach individual divisions by dialing the numbers below:

Certification -- (502) 564-5846
Educator Preparation -- (502) 564-5789
Assessments -- (502) 564-5778
CEO -- (502) 564-5782
KTIP -- (502) 564-5832
National Board -- (502) 564-5834

Please bear with us as we learn the most efficient way to use this new tool. If you wish to speak to the main switchboard operator, you can always dial “0” when instructed (after the opening message).

Speaking at the Fall FRYSC Institute
I am pleased to announce that I have been asked to give the keynote address during the Harry J. Cowherd Memorial Luncheon at the Family Resource and Youth Services Centers Fall Institute.  It is an honor to be asked to address the dedicated and passionate people committed to removing non-academic barriers to learning for all children in Kentucky.  As many of you know, prior to coming to the EPSB, I served as a FRC Coordinator in Allen County for nearly eight years and as president of the Family Resource and Youth Services Coalition of Kentucky, Inc.  

Good to Know: EPSB Recognition
I recently received an invitation from the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) to address a committee of the Connecticut General Assembly regarding establishing an independent professional standards board.  I was very pleased that your work has been recognized by other states as a model.  Unfortunately, I was unable to oblige the request due to a previous commitment, but Alicia Sneed will be traveling to Hartford, CT (at CEA expense) to share with the Connecticut General Assembly the organizational model designed by the Kentucky legislature as well as the excellent manner in which the Kentucky EPSB addresses this important work.

LEAD Report in Final Stages
The fall LEAD report is to be signed off by all districts on November 1..  From now until November 15, EPSB staff will be working feverishly with any districts that are showing problems on the report.  On November 15, as required by statute, staff will send an email communicating any outstanding problems to KDE Commissioner Terry Holliday.  Generally, EPSB staff continues to work with any districts through approximately December 1 concerning any problems that may still have a solution, pending communication between KDE staff and the local districts.  At this writing, it is too soon to speculate as to how many irresolvable staffing problems may exist for the current school year; however, EPSB staff began notifying districts of MUNIS errors as far back as mid-October so that these could be resolved before the November 1 sign-off date.

Kentucky Teacher Internship Program
All Confirmations of Employment for the 2011-2012 internships have been approved.  All new teachers have been accepted into KTIP for a full-year internship and for those who began last spring.  To date, we have 2,583 interns or full-time equivalency of 2,389.  Thanks again to the Office of Career and Technical Education whose funds allowed for 113 interns.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Currently, 367 National Board (NB) candidates have enrolled in the 2011 - 2012 cycle.  The sum of $390,000 in federal subsidies has been applied to the new enrollees’ accounts.  In late fall, the EPSB will receive score results for 590 candidates for the 2010 – 2011 cycle.

Accreditation Visits
The Division of Educator Preparation is in the midst of conducting four (4) accreditation visits in October and November: Spalding University (NCATE and state); Morehead State (NCATE and state); Midcontinent University (state only); and the University of Pikeville (state only). Accreditation visits are important opportunities for institutions and teacher education programs to gain valuable feedback from professional colleagues. We applaud our institutions and our volunteer Board of Examiners members for the hard work they dedicate to the accreditation process.

Raising the Bar
The board has approved significant revisions to 16 KAR 5:020 and 16 KAR 5:040 affecting admission to teacher education programs and student teaching experiences. Educator Preparation staff members are working with institutions to develop explanatory documents and a list of frequently asked questions regarding the regulatory changes. When the regulations are finalized, the FAQ list will be posted on the EPSB web site and shared via e-mail with deans and state education personnel for distribution.

Ethics Seminars
The Division of Legal Services offers to schools and institutions free ethics seminars which include an overview of the EPSB disciplinary process as well as a review of the Professional Code of Ethics for Kentucky Certified School Personnel. Each seminar emphasizes the most common code violations.   The EPSB legal staff will be conducting ethics seminars at the following locations in November:

November -Campbellsville University
November 22-FEA State Conference, Morehead State University
November 30-Kentucky Christian College

If your school or institution would like to schedule an ethics seminar, please contact Elise Borne at elise.borne@ky.gov.  

Regulations Update
The EPSB currently has three (3) regulations going through the promulgation process:  16 KAR 2:040, 16 KAR 5:040, and 16 KAR 9:090.  16 KAR 9:090 is a new regulation that will govern the University-based alternative certification programs for world languages.  Proposed amendments to 16 KAR 5:040, the student teaching regulation, contain the CRACE recommendations for student teaching, which will go into effect September 1, 2013.  Finally, the proposed amendments to 16 KAR 2:040, the IECE regulation, merely correct out-of-date language.

These regulations were reviewed on October 11, 2011, by the Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee (ARRS).   In early November, the EPSB staff will be notified if the Interim Joint Education Committee wants to review the regulations at its meeting on November 14.  If the Interim Joint Education Committee does not wish to review the regulations, the regulations should be final by December 2, 2011.  

For more information regarding these regulations, please contact Alicia Sneed at alicia.sneed@ky.gov.

NASDTEC PPI
Four (4) members of the legal staff and I attended the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Professional Practices Institute (PPI) in Little Rock, Arkansas, in October.   The institute’s keynote speaker was Frederick S. Lane, who presented two sessions on the dangers of the cyber-world.  Mr. Lane’s sessions focused on the traps students fall into when traversing the digital world, including cyber bullying and sexting.  Mr. Lane’s current book, Cybertraps for the Young, is an excellent resource for teacher educators, administrators, teachers, and parents as they assist students and children in navigating the new cyber-world.

The conference also had sessions on reporting child abuse, investigative techniques, and new training modalities.  In addition, the EPSB’s Director of Legal Services, Alicia A. Sneed, presented a session on high stakes testing and cheating.   Next year’s conference (which will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, from October 17 through 19) would be a great professional development conference for teacher educators and district administrators.  For more information about attending next year’s conference, go to www.NASDTEC.org.

FYI: Meetings, Conferences, Etc.
November 1 – LEAD sign-off
November 1 – Southeast/South Central Educational Cooperative meeting
November 3 – EPSB staff leadership meeting
November 4 – Green River Regional Education Cooperative meeting
November 7/8 – 17th Annual Safe Schools, Successful Students Conference
November 8 – Election Day (EPSB office open)
November 9 – Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services meeting
November 10 – Improving Productivity Conference
November 10 – Kentucky Advisory Council for Internships meeting
November 11 – Veterans Day (EPSB office closed)
November 12 – EPSB Fall Retreat
November 13/16 – University of Pikeville accreditation visit
November 16 – Kentucky Educational Development Corporation meeting
November 16 – Western Kentucky Education Cooperative meeting
November 22 – Future Educators of America state meeting at Morehead State University
November 24/25 – Thanksgiving holiday (EPSB office closed)
November 29 – EPSB staff leadership meeting