Motions 2

Meeting Called to Order 4

Licensee Discipline 4

Consent Agenda 5

Communication 5

Special Education Editorial Changes from Conditional 6

to Classification – Adopt

Superintendent/AEA Administrator – Notice 7

Vocational Endorsements and Occupational Licenses - Deferred 7

Evaluator Endorsement and License - Notice 7

Technology Presentation 8

Praxis II Discussion Continued 8

Budget and Fees Discussion – First Reading 9

Personnel Discussion 10

Adjournment 11

Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by William Haigh, that the Board go into closed session for the purposes of discussing whether to initiate licensee disciplinary proceedings and discussing the decision to be rendered in a contested case, pursuant to Iowa Code sections 21.5(1)(d) and 21.5(1)(f). MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by Ying Ying Chen, that in case number 03-16, the Board extend the 180-day deadline for issuance of the final decision, based upon delay in investigation due to difficulty in contacting a key witness, indication of a voluntary surrender and the investigator's extended medical leave. Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Jean Seeland moved, with a second by John Aboud, to approve the November 14, 2003, minutes, as distributed. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

William Haigh moved, with a second by Anita Westerhaus, to adopt and file the proposed changes in rules for Chapter 15, wherein each time the word "conditional" was referenced in Chapter 15, the appropriate new term "Class A" (one-year conditional) or "Class C" (three-year conditional) would be inserted to be consistent with 282.14(272). Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

With minor clarifications and the addition of "evaluation" to the knowledge and understanding of human resources management required, John Aboud moved, with a second by Brian Carter, to file under Notice of Intended Action, the proposed changes to the superintendent and AEA administrator endorsements in Chapter 14 that base requirements on the ISSLIC standards, which include knowledge and performance, and combine the superintendent and AEA administrator endorsements, Roll call vote: Westerhaus – yes; Wellborn – yes; Seeland – yes; Paulsen – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Haigh – yes; Chen – yes; Carter – yes; Aboud – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by Ying Ying Chen, to file under Notice of Intended Action, the proposed changes to Chapter 20, "Evaluator License," with recorded clarifications and changes. Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

John Aboud moved, with a second by Brian Carter, to direct Dr. Kruse and staff to put the fee increases into rule form. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board of Educational Examiners held its monthly meeting on December 12, 2003. Board Chair Peter Hathaway called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m. Members attending were John Aboud, Brian Carter, Ying Ying Chen, William Haigh, Peter Hathaway, Judy Jeffrey, Thomas Paulsen, Jean Seeland, Jacqueline Wellborn and Anita Westerhaus. Also in attendance were Dr. Anne Kruse, Executive Director of the Board; Christie Scase, Assistant Attorney General and legal counsel to the Board; Barbara Hendrickson, Board Secretary; and other visitors, most of whom were representatives of the Iowa teacher preparation institutions. Board Member Veronica Stalker and Assistant Attorney General and legal counsel to the Board Jeanie Vaudt were unable to attend the meeting. Ms. Scase joined the afternoon session at 12:59 p.m.

Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by William Haigh, that the Board go into closed session for the purposes of discussing whether to initiate licensee disciplinary proceedings and discussing the decision to be rendered in a contested case, pursuant to Iowa Code sections 21.5(1)(d) and 21.5(1)(f). MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

The Board reconvened into open session at 8:47 a.m.

Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by Ying Ying Chen, that in case number 03-16, the Board extend the 180-day deadline for issuance of the final decision, based upon delay in investigation due to difficulty in contacting a key witness, indication of a voluntary surrender and the investigator's extended medical leave. Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Jean Seeland moved, with a second by John Aboud, to approve the November 14, 2003, minutes, as distributed. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Board Member Judy Jeffrey reported that she and Licensure Consultant Susan Fischer had just returned from a meeting in Washington, D.C., that was concerned with the Iowa Department of Education's Wallace grant on leadership. Ms. Jeffrey reminded the Board of the Leadership Partnership established by the State Board of Education, which had specific recommendations to change licensure for principals, superintendents and AEA administrators. The work that the Board has undertaken to change those licensure requirements was noted in the report to the 15 states, and The Wallace Foundation is proud of the fact that Iowa has continued to moved forward on that leadership agenda. Ms. Jeffrey added her compliments to the Board.

During the time of Public Comment, Arlie Willems of Mount Mercy College and current Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Preparation (IACTE) President; Barry Wilson of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI); Carol Richardson of Simpson College; James Marshall of the University of Iowa; and Angie King of the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) addressed the Board on the results of the Praxis II report, urging board members not to adopt mandatory testing as a requirement for teacher licensure in Iowa. Position papers were distributed as well.

Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse reported briefly on a number of issues:

2. The Board and staff received notepads made from recycled materials.
3. Dr. Kruse has been to all but two of the superintendent AEA meetings. Staff members have completed student teacher presentations, focusing on how to get a license and how to keep a license, with the latter topic a segue to the important issue of ethics.
4. Iowa State University (ISU) has invited the Board to hold its March 5, 2004, meeting at the Memorial Union on campus, in conjunction with a luncheon presentation by Linda and Cheryl Brown of the historic Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case. The Board was delighted to accept.
5. At their places, board members located copies of new administrative rules Chapter 25 (replacing Chapters 12 and 13), Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, and Chapter 26, Code of Rights and Responsibilities, as they were sent for Notice to the code editor.
6. Four board members will attend the Learning Point Associates December 18, 2003, policy seminar on alternative preparation and alternative licensure, mention of which was made at the November board meeting. Dr. Kruse made available an article on the topic.

The Board recessed from 9:28 a.m. to 9:42 a.m.

The Board considered editorial changes to the special education endorsements to reflect appropriate wording regarding new terminology or "classification" of licenses. William Haigh moved, with a second by Anita Westerhaus, to adopt and file the proposed changes in rules for Chapter 15, wherein each time the word "conditional" was referenced in Chapter 15, the appropriate new term "Class A" (one-year conditional) or "Class C" (three-year conditional) would be inserted to be consistent with 282.14(272). Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

A Superintendent Study Team had been created several months earlier to review board rules for the superintendent requirements, to examine current research, to assess national and state requirements and trends, and to make recommendations to the Board for consideration. With minor clarifications and the addition of "evaluation" to the knowledge and understanding of human resources management required, John Aboud moved, with a second by Brian Carter, to file under Notice of Intended Action, the proposed changes to the superintendent and AEA administrator endorsements in Chapter 14 that base requirements on the ISSLIC standards, which include knowledge and performance, and combine the superintendent and AEA administrator endorsements, Roll call vote: Westerhaus – yes; Wellborn – yes; Seeland – yes; Paulsen – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Haigh – yes; Chen – yes; Carter – yes; Aboud – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

As of July 1, 2003, the Board no longer issues postsecondary licenses due to the 2002 Iowa Acts. The Board's rules, therefore, need to be amended. The proposed amended rules reflect "vocational endorsements" and "occupational licenses" for secondary only, rather than the current "occupational and postsecondary endorsements and licenses," with all references to "postsecondary" struck from the rules. Board Member William Haigh said that an effective date shown in the rules was unnecessary, since the date had already past. Board Member Thomas Paulsen noted that "career and technical," not "vocational," is the current terminology being used in the field and questioned use of the latter word in the proposed rules. The Board decided to delay action on notice of the rules, pending determination of correct language.

The Board discussed proposed rules to include licensure requirements for the new evaluator endorsement or license as mandated through the Teacher Quality Bill. The rules would accompany those in 281—83.5(284) Evaluator Approval Training submitted by the Department of Education. Board Member Judy Jeffrey raised a number of concerns, and each was addressed. Board Member William Haigh again highlighted the unnecessary past dates shown in the rules. Anita Westerhaus moved, with a second by Ying Ying Chen, to file under Notice of Intended Action, the proposed changes to Chapter 20, "Evaluator License," with recorded clarifications and changes. Roll call vote: Aboud – yes; Carter – yes; Chen – yes; Haigh – yes; Jeffrey – yes; Paulsen – yes; Seeland – yes; Wellborn – yes; Westerhaus – yes; and Hathaway – yes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Licensure Consultant Dr. Gary Borlaug gave an update on the Board's grant to effect online renewal and online view of licensure credentials. The system will also be able to run a variety of important reports. He said the system will be functioning in 2004, though it remains to be seen whether full implementation will be sooner or later in the year. Board Member William Haigh recommended that thought be given not only to how to use technology now, but also to imagine and to project the future potential use of technology in a given area. Executive Director commended Dr. Borlaug for his diligence on the project.

The Board recessed from 10:34 a.m. to 10:42 a.m.

The Board continued discussion of the Praxis II test results begun at the November meeting. Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse began by explaining corrected Simpson College test scores that were received and their impact on the study. She stated that the testing company claims an even higher accuracy rate as a result. She then related that individuals from five states, who have been unable to achieve the cut score on the mandatory test in their own state, have applied for Iowa licensure. They plan to obtain an Iowa license and then submit that valid license in lieu of the test score in order to obtain a license in their own state, under an option permitted by the state in which they reside.

The Board stood behind Iowa's teacher preparation programs, and no board member believed that a paper-and-pencil test is a good way to assess pedagogy. The Board wrestled with the issue of testing content area. Board Member Judy Jeffrey reported on research on the construction of the Praxis II and its validity and reliability, and cited drawbacks to the test. She said ACT scores were actually a better indicator of content area achievement. She later added that in some content areas there was a direct correlation among college course grades, ACT scores and the Praxis II pass rates. Board members were concerned, nevertheless, with the lower-than-expected content scores on the Praxis II.

The Board recessed for lunch at 11:40 a.m. and reconvened at 12:32 p.m.

Board Chair Peter Hathaway asked board members to express their individual positions on the issue of content testing, in order to bring to the surface whatever questions, concerns or issues each one might have. Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse was then asked to provide for a future board meeting information on what other content assessments are being used, how many entities are using them, and what the validity is of each assessment. She was directed to survey her state counterparts on how they assess competence in content area with pre-service teachers. Information was also requested on Iowa teacher preparation institutions' records of students who began the program, but who later exited, though it might not be necessary to know the reason (counseled out, self-selected out, did not meet Grade Point Average (G.P.A.), did not pass Praxis I, etc.).

In the coming months, Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse will field questions from legislators about Board deliberations and recommendations. Board Chair Peter Hathaway said that Dr. Kruse will be able to report that the Board has had several discussions on the matter of testing and is firm that there is no need to test in pedagogy, but board members do have a concern about the achievement levels in certain content areas and about how to quantify and address that issue.

The Board recessed from 1:26 p.m. to 1:33 p.m.

Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse explained information on proposed fee increases. In response to a question from Board Member William Haigh, she said it would be two to three years before an adjustment in fees might once again need to be made, and any changes would depend on variables at that time. Although agreeing that the fees were fair and appropriate, Board Member Judy Jeffrey expressed reservations about increasing fees at a time when every other state agency is experiencing more work with reduced staff and cannot consider increasing staff or costs. She was concerned with the impression it would leave that the Board can raise fees to increase staff and increase their operations at this time. John Aboud moved, with a second by Brian Carter, to direct Dr. Kruse and staff to put the fee increases into rule form. MOTION CARRIED.

Board Chair Peter Hathaway invited board members to participate in Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse's annual performance assessment with use of a performance appraisal tool with specific criteria. In recent years, the Executive Subcommittee alone had performed the evaluation.

Board Chair Peter Hathaway requested direction for Executive Director Dr. Anne Kruse in prioritizing the work of the licensure bureau and professional practices in the coming year. Dr. Kruse highlighted topics of testing, future uses of technology, priorities in legislation, background checks on renewals, an ethics guide, a recommendation to the State Board of Education for inclusion of ethics across the teacher preparation curriculum, and an ethics conference. Mr. Hathaway said a list of items would accompany the personnel performance survey that will be sent out, and board members can prioritize the list of topics and add any additional ideas. Board Member Jean Seeland suggested the addition of threats to licensure. Mr. Hathaway questioned whether a conference focused on ethics might attract a significant turnout. He thought perhaps a presentation made part of another conference hosted by an organization such as the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), the Iowa State Educational Association (ISEA), (School Administrators of Iowa (SAI), etc. might be more workable. Assistant Attorney General and legal counsel to the Board Christie Scase thought publication of the new Chapters 25 and 26 presented an ideal opportunity to highlight changes in administrative rules with regard to ethics.

Topics and format for the proposed legislative reception the day before the February board meeting will be addressed at the January board meeting. Board Member Jean Seeland urged caution in speaking with legislators, lest they be left with misimpressions or misunderstandings. Board members were urged to use the opportunity to speak about the Board's positive accomplishments.

The Board reviewed its calendar for 2004. The March 5 meeting will be at the Memorial Union at ISU in Ames. The June 25 meeting will be at Prairie Ridge Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. The Board confirmed meeting dates for September 10, October 8, and November 5, and December 10, 2004.

There being no further business, Board Chair Peter Hathaway adjourned the meeting at 2:26 p.m.