Policy Option Brief Proposal

Lisa Coppola

Policy Option Brief Proposal

EDAD8051: Developing & Influencing Education Policy

Manhattanville College

Dr. Stephen Caldas

Fall 2010

No Child Left Behind changed New York State teacher certification regulations in a number of ways.  For one, Permanent Certification for classroom teaching titles no longer exists on new certificates issued after February 1, 2004.  New certificate types include Initial Certification which is progressed to Professional Certification after three years of teaching, a master’s degree and a mentor experience.  The validity of a Professional Certificate is continuously maintained through Professional Development activities.  The New York State Department of Education has charged school districts with developing professional development plans for their teachers, teaching assistants and administrators.  School Districts approve activities, keep track of hours and report these hours annually to the State.

Southern Westchester BOCES does not require specific activities towards the fulfillment of this State requirement (in fact, most school districts do not require specific activities).  Examples of acceptable activities for our teachers include in-service days and workshop attendance.  What would be of benefit to SWBOCES is for our teachers to fulfill this professional development requirement by expanding and extending their classroom teaching certificates.  For example, if a teacher only holds a content specific certificate (e.g. Biology, Social Studies, Math), (s)he should be encouraged to complete the additional credits necessary to tag on a Students with Disabilities credential to their existing certificate.  For only twelve content specific credits in Students with Disabilities and a CST exam, a teacher can obtain this additional certificate title. 

This new approach toward professional development can help ensure highly qualified teachers in our classrooms and eliminate the need for team teaching situations.  To stay in compliance with New York State regulations, two teachers would need to be in an academic specific class with special education students if neither of the teachers hold dual certification (content + students with disabilities).  Dual and triple certification is beneficial to the teacher and the district.  A new policy for professional development activity for teachers would include allowing academic coursework that is considered actively pursuing an additional certificate:

·        to fulfill professional development hours that maintains the validity of a Professional Certificate;

·        to apply the academic credits toward a salary differential.

Such “double dipping” of credits is currently not allowed at SWBOCES.  This new policy would allow a teacher to get credit for professional development, as well as move them along the salary scale.  This consideration would only be given to those that are working toward an additional classroom teaching certificate.