Division of Instruction Updates

1. Division of Instruction Updates Board Work Session May 9, 2019 Daniel Boyd

2. Agenda • Update on Specialized Treatment Centers • Department of Teaching and Learning • Memo • Discussion of Proposed Solutions to Concerns

3. STC Update • Next Meeting: May 22, 2019 • American Institutes for Research • Attendees

4. Factors Contributing to the Complexities of STCs Alabama K-12 Special Education Regular Education • ALSDE • Judges • DHR • Mental Health • LEAs • Special Interest Groups • ALSDE • IDEA • DHR • Mental Health Influencing Entities Funding Sources STCs FAPE

5. Memorandum FY19-2072 • Item 1: GPA Unconditional Admission to Alternative Class A Program • Current Requirement: Minimum overall bachelor’s degree GPA of 2.75 or minimum overall master’s degree GPA of 3.0 • Exception: With at least a 2.0 GPA an individual may be unconditionally admitted based on a higher Praxis test score • Item 2: GPA Provisional Certificates / Recency Requirement • Current Requirement: Minimum overall bachelor’s degree GPA of 2.75 or minimum overall master’s degree GPA of 3.0 • Exception: With at least a 2.0 GPA an individual may begin the Provisional Certificate approach based on a higher Praxis test score • Current Requirement: Individuals must have completed their degree five or more years prior to beginning the Provisional Certificate approach • Exception: Remove the five year recency requirement

6. Memorandum FY19-2072 • Item 3: Basic Skills Assessments • Current Requirement: The basic skills assessments of reading, writing, and mathematics (Praxis Core) are required for unconditional admission to Class B and Alternative Class A educator preparation programs and for initial certification through various other approaches. • Exception: The basic skills assessments will no longer be required for individuals who have at least a bachelor’s degree. The basic skills assessments will continue to be required for admission to Class B educator preparation programs and individuals who do not have at least a bachelor's degree at the time of application.

7. Benefits of Memorandum FY19-2072 • Opens the door to teaching for individuals who have less than the required GPA, but are able to demonstrate knowledge of their content. • The GPA requirement flexibility, increases the applicant pool for LEAs via provisional certificates and the enrollment in Alternative Class A programs. • Elimination of the basic skills requirement removes a barrier for individuals who have at least a bachelor’s degree.

8. Opportunities Emergency Certification • Provides a non-certified individual the ability to teach for one year • No correlation between degree area and subject taught • Two bills currently in the Legislature

9. Emergency Certificate Current Proposed There are two bills before the Legislature at this time to change the validity period to two years and add the ability to renew SB304: allows for two renewals which would allow an individual to work for up to six years HB506: allows for one renewal which would allow an individual to work for up to four years • A non-certified teacher can teach up to one scholastic year • The certificate cannot be renewed • Not issued in the areas of special education, driver & traffic safety, school psychometry, school psychology, or speech-language pathology

10. Praxis Scores Praxis 5161 Secondary Mathematics: Content Knowledge Subject Assessment Prior to December 14, 2017: • Iowa and the Northern Mariana Islands accepted scores of 134 and 136, respectively • Alabama’s passing score was 145 • 4 states accepted a passing score ranging from 146 to 152 • 31 states used the multi-state passing score of 160 December 14, 2017: Alabama State Board of Education voted to increase Alabama’s passing score: • 150 for certificate applications received September 1, 2018 • 155 for certificate applications received September 1, 2019 • 160 (the multi-state score) for certificate applications received September 1, 2020

11. Praxis Scores Praxis 5161 Secondary Mathematics: Content Knowledge Subject Assessment Current Proposed Pending a recommendation from the Teacher Shortage Task Force, postpone raising the cut score for Praxis 5161 from 150 to 155 (scheduled for September 1, 2019) Adopt the multi-state passing scores for Praxis tests for Algebra (5162) and Geometry (5163) Allow middle school certified math teachers to teach high school Algebra and Geometry Allow individuals who do not earn a passing score on Praxis 5161 to: Use a passing score on Praxis 5162 to earn a certificate for algebra, Grades 6-12 Use a passing score on Praxis 5163 to earn a certificate for geometry, Grades 6-12 Use a passing score on Praxis 5169 to earn a certificate for mathematics, Grades 4-8 As of May 6, 2019: • Iowa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Nebraska use scores of 135, 136, and 146, respectively • Alabama’s passing score is 150 • South Carolina accepts a score of 150 • Kansas and Mississippi accept a score of 152 • 30 states use the multi-state passing score of 160

12. EdTPA Current Proposed No change Postponed implementation from 2018-2019 to 2019-2020 • For completion of Class B and Alternative Class A programs • For completion of the Provisional Certificate Approach to earn a Class B Certificate

13. GPA Current Proposed Flexibility that allows higher Praxis score with a lower GPA • Minimum overall bachelor’s degree GPA of 2.75 or minimum overall master’s degree GPA of 3.0

14. Retirement Benefits Current Proposed Currently a legislative proposal for a Tier III system which improves benefits for teachers • Tier II system is being used by individuals hired on or after January 1, 2013

15. Scholarship & Salary Current Proposed Restructure AMSTEP Fund end-of-year bonuses Fund a differentiated salary schedule • AMSTEP federal loan repayment

16. Project Approach with LEAN Frog Phase I - Discovery Phase II- Recommendations for Future ALSDE Design Models Phase III- Implementation Support Source: Meeting with Dr. Brandon Payne of LEAN Frog (May 7, 2019)