Published: October 26, 2009 10:39 pm      

Department of Education looks to stop myths

DOE talks about what the proposed teacher licensing changes really means

>>DOE REPORT DOWNLOAD (mov.)




Officials with the Indiana Department of Education are speaking out to stop myths on the proposed teacher licensing changes days before a public hearing comes to Southern Indiana.

On Thursday, department representatives will be at Scottsburg Middle School as part of three stops in the state to hear local opinions on the proposed changes, which boast the goal of increasing content knowledge of teachers, and thus raising student achievement.

That means future secondary teachers will need to major in the subject they hope to teach, such as math, and minor in education. There will be changes for elementary teachers as well, requiring them to either have a major in a content area or education and minor in the opposing of the two.

’Current regulations waste teachers’ time and money, but are not effective in the goal of making them better teachers,’ says a press release from the department. ’Too many requirements for initial licensure and for license renewal are not connected to student achievement or educators’ ability to teach.’

But not everyone is fully onboard with the proposal yet.

’You need to know subject matter, but you’ve got to be able to handle kids,’ said Superintendent Monty Schneider, with West Clark Community Schools. ’You can have a Ph.D. in chemistry, but if you don’t know how to handle kids [you won’t be able to teach].’

Indiana University Southeast has programs for those majoring in education and for those who have worked in a career and are transitioning to the field, said Gloria Murray, dean of the school of education.

Murray said existing school requirements for secondary teachers are similar to those majoring in that specific subject. She said those wanting to teach biology take 43 credit hours of the subject and those just majoring in the subject take 39. Students wanting to teach chemistry take 43 credit hours in the subject, but those majoring in it take 49.

’We’re all pretty much along the same lines,’ Murray said. ’[Most] our students are getting more than people who majoring in the area and we’re hearing we need to cut down on that based on what the state is saying.’

According to an interview with Ray Graves, senior evaluator/consultant with the education department, schools will have to be in line with the amount of teaching classes and content area classes if the new standards are approved.

Murray said all IU schools in the state have similar requirements to IUS.

’For us, many of the things they’re proposing, we’re a little confused,’ she said. ’We’re not sure why we need to change what we’re doing. It looks like we’re going to end up with less hours with what the state is proposing and we don’t want to decrease the number of hours in the content areas.’

She plans to have her voice heard at the hearing in Scottsburg on Thursday as well as the one in Indianapolis on Nov. 2.

Once that input is received, comments will be summarized and provided to the Advisory Board of the Division of Professional Standards, a group appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels to come up with possible changes. That group will again meet Nov. 18 to discuss possible revisions and will vote on the final changes once they feel comfortable, according to Graves.

The board started work on this initiative this summer.

Graves said he knows there’s some speculation on the bias of board members.

’Obviously, because it’s a board selected and appointed by the governor of the state, people think there are politics involved, but it is refreshing to me as a former superintendent to see educators working together to try to find the best program we can put in place to prepare teachers and keep teachers current for the employer who has them working with students each and every day,’ Graves said.

He said he’s unsure of how many people will show up to the public hearings. However, the department already has received more than 800 replies on its Web site with feedback.

He said he hopes those hearings help dispel myths, by showing this will not hurt, but help education in the state, those wanting to become teachers will still have to student teach and that all teachers properly licensed to teach in their areas will not have to take additional tests.



MORE INFORMATION:



PROPOSED TEACHER LICENSING CHANGES

’ Requires emphasis on content-knowledge. Proposed changes would revise the licensing requirements to emphasize teachers’ content knowledge.

’ Elementary teachers (prekindergarten through grade six) 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 15 credit hours in pedagogy.

’ Secondary teachers (grades five to 12) must either receive:

’ A baccalaureate degree consisting of any applicable content-area major ’ as well as a minor in education; or

’ Certification by an education preparation that has been approved by the Advisory Board of the Division of Professional Standards.

’ Opens door to nontraditional administrators. Proposed changes would allow school boards to hire superintendents outside of the traditional education system if they apply and receive a waiver with the Indiana Department of Education. Candidates for superintendent would be required to have at least a master’s degree and pass the school leader’s licensure test.

’ Requires testing of every teacher. 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). No more testing waivers would be granted to any teachers or teaching candidates.

’ Changes license renewal for current teachers. Proposed changes would eliminate tuition-based course requirements for teachers to renew their licenses.

’ Simplifies licensing process for out-of-state teachers and 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:

’ Changing Professions: A teaching candidate with a baccalaureate degree may obtain an education minor and pass a content-knowledge test for licensure.



SO YOU KNOW:

’ New rules would go into effect July 1.

’ 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 2011 will not be affected by licensing changes.



PUBLIC HEARING:

’ There are three scheduled public hearings taking place in Rochester, Indianapolis and Scottsburg. The Scottsburg meeting is set for 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at Scottsburg Middle School, 425 S. Third St., in Scottsburg.