Report of Regents Higher Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on February 23, 2016.  All members were present with the exception of Regent Cea and Regents Brown who were absent and excused.

Matters not requiring action:

Reconvening the edTPA Task Force and Teacher Education Advisory Group.  Your Committee received on an update the plan to reconvene the educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) Task Force as well as reengaging with the Teacher Education Advisory Group.  The charge of the reconvened Task Force will be to review and fully discuss the issues and concerns raised by the field regarding the edTPA HE (D) 1

Proposed amendments to Section 80-5.8 and 80-5.20 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education relating to reciprocity requirements and endorsement of certificate for service as a teacher, school district leader, and school district business leader and addition of a new section to address reciprocity requirements for school building leaders.  Your Committee discussed proposed changes that would allow those out-of-state candidates certified as a teacher, school building leader, or school district or school district business leader to qualify for certification in New York if they have three or more years of experience teaching in the subject area of their valid certificate or acting as a school building leader or school district or school district business leader. In addition, these candidates who wish to become certified in New York must also submit evidence of their baccalaureate degree (teachers) or master’s degree (school district or business leaders) or higher from a regionally accredited higher education institution or an equivalently approved higher education institution as determined by the Department and a letter, or other form of documentation, as determined by the Commissioner, documenting the evaluations the applicant has received during the most recent three years of experience. Essentially, the proposal would streamline the process for those certified and experienced teachers and leaders from other states who can demonstrate a track-record of strong performance based on their evaluation by no longer requiring the candidate to complete a teacher education program which leads to an initial certificate and no longer requiring the candidate to meet citizenship requirements of Section 80-1.3 - specifically those that relate to certificate holders applying who are in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status pursuant to Sections 59.4 and 80-1.3. In addition, those certified out-of-state teachers and leaders would no longer need to take and pass state certification assessments. HE (D) 2

Overview of the requirements to implement Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2015 relating to the registration process for Permanent, Professional and Teaching Assistant Level III certificate holders.  Your Committee received an overview of the law and discussed the process for drafting amendments to the Commissioner’s Regulations.  The Department is seeking guidance from the field on key components and plans to incorporate any suggestions from the field.  It is anticipated that proposed regulations will be before the Board at the April 2016 Regents meeting.  HE (D) 3

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents will take action on the following consent agenda items at their February 23, 2016 meeting.

• Proposed Amendments of Subpart 4-1 of the Rules of the Board of Regents Relating to Voluntary Institutional Accreditation for Title IV Purposes