PESB News of Note - December 2017 - CORRECTED

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Regular Board Meetings 

Professional Educator Standards Board

January 11-12, 2018 

The January meeting will be held at ESD 113 in Tumwater. 

Find meeting information at PESB's Next and Future Meetings


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PESB@k12.wa.us

360.725.6275

www.pesb.wa.gov


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PESB News of Note

December 2017


From the November Board Meeting

A reminder that the background and presentation materials for PESB's November meeting can be found on the PESB's website in Board Meetings

Board minutes are published after approval at the next regular meeting. In the interim, a Summary of Actions / Annotations document is posted on the PESB website to provide stakeholders with information they need to respond to Board actions. PESB posts this document to the meeting folder on its website and PESB Facebook page.

Agenda items for November included:

  • Course matches to endorsement:  Elementary EducationTab 5: The Board approved the Elementary Education endorsement to course code matches. Following resolution of implementation questions, the assignment look up tool will be updated to include these matches.
  • Updates on the Indicator Based Program Review (IBPR) process - Tab 13: Staff updated members regarding IBPR implementation including stakeholder interactions, indicator review needs, and next steps. 
  • Considerations for equity and alignment in the program approval process - Tab 14: Board members discussed possible changes to the approval process and the WAC to strengthen elements related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
  • Streamlining educator licensing for military service members and their spouses - Tab 11: Board members heard the first annual report for streamlining licensing of military service members and their spouses as required by SB 5359. The presentation also included an overview of the Troops to Teachers program in Washington.
  • PESB's 2018 legislative agenda - Tab 6The Board heard a detailed plan regarding the upcoming legislative session and efforts to advance the Board's priorities.

View the November 2017 Summary of Actions / Annotations for additional information.


    Coming Soon - PESB's New Website!

    Exciting news! PESB unveils its new website on December 18. Of course, we'll send out a launch reminder, so watch for the announcement in your inbox!

    The home page URL (www.pesb.wa.gov) will remain the same, but with a fresh new look. Designers focused on creating easier site navigability of the content, so it's more effectively organized and searchable. We look forward to sharing it with you!


    Featured: Washington Students, Educator Diversity, and PESB Strategic Goals

    PESB's Strategic Plan: 2016-2020 states an overarching objective of "(a)ll P-12 students are supported by effective educators." Goal 5 of this plan strives for "(e)ducator workforce diversity (that) reflects P-12 student population." There are several agency initiatives that support the realization of this goal - a few are featured below. For additional information, follow the links provided. 

    -- Creating Diverse Programs for Candidates with Diverse Needs --

    PESB has oversight of educator preparation programs (EPP) in Washington. It also defines what knowledge, skills, and abilities graduates from all programs should demonstrate to earn a certificate to teach in Washington schools. Alternative routes to certification policy provides for diversity in the design and structure EPPs can employ to prepare their candidates to demonstrate they have met certification standards. These alternative routes to certification include providing a pathway for paraeducators to become fully certified educators and supporting career-changing professionals transfer their skills to P-12 classrooms. For additional information, visit Alternative Routes to Certification on the PESB website or email questions to pathways@k12.wa.us.

    -- Expanding Opportunities to Support Educator Candidates 
    from Diverse Backgrounds --

    PESB's recently developed Pilot to Policy - Advancing System Equity Grant aims to identify program practices that enhance the ability of programs to recruit and retain diverse candidates and produce culturally responsive educators. Two fundamental priority areas for grant applicants are policy/procedural shifts around racial equity and authentic community partnerships. Applications will also address the prospective grantee's ability to develop and implement strategies and promising practices connecting cultural responsiveness with their program design. Applicants can tailor their proposal through the addition of two fundamental priority areas: 1) recruitment, faculty development, curriculum and field experience design, and 2) building reflective practices in their candidates to develop culturally responsive instruction in their classrooms. The Board reviewed the grant status and engaged in discussion of the grant goals during Tab 15 of its November meeting. For additional information visit the previous Board meeting materials link or the Pilot ot Policy Grant page on the PESB website.

    -- Supporting New Educator Success in Classrooms and Schools --

    Recruiting teachers during a time of shortage is a challenge, and once districts bring those new teachers into their schools, retaining them becomes the next challenge. Finding the right match between teacher and district and supporting that relationship must be intentional. Do new staff have the right information to be and feel successful in their classrooms? Are they adequately supported during their first days in the district and throughout their first year teaching? How do the needs of small and / or rural districts and urban and / or large districts differ? What tools are available to help administrators in each provide great learning environments for their students by identifying, hiring, and supporting their teachers?

    PESB is currently working with human resource personnel around the state and a private consultant to develop and deliver training on best practices for recruitment, selection, and induction of teachers in Washington schools. This multi-year effort began with a case study of three Washington school districts that successfully recruit and select teachers who best fit the needs of their districts and students (see Best Practices in Teacher Recruiting & Selection on PESB's website). Next the consultants conducted a literature review (Recruiting, Selecting, and Retaining Teachers: A Review of the Literature), developed an HR practices self-assessment, and piloted that assessment. Most recently, they have proposed a training strategy (HR Training Strategy) for delivery across the state. The HR Curriculum and Training Work Group page provides additional information. 


    PESB Reports On...

    PESB commissioned a report focused on developing pathways for individuals from historically underrepresented communities into the teaching profession. The study explored access and recruitment into educator preparation and increasing the number of qualified applicants for future positions in the state. The Recruiting Diverse Teacher Candidate Research Report includes strategies for programs to recruit more diverse candidates, a college self-assessment tool, and a statewide demographics report.

    PESB also publishes an annual report on our Recruiting Washington Teachers initiative. The most recent version, Recruiting Washington Teachers 2016-2017 Annual Report, can be found on our website. Previous years' reports are also available on our website in the Reports and Presentations area.


    Research of Note

    Each month, PESB identifies and shares research related to its work. These articles are intended to spark thought and discussion only and do not imply an endorsement of the research position or findings. 

    Workplace Support and Diversity in the Market for Public School Teachers. Bednar, S. and Gicheva, D. November 2016.

    Mentoring, and to a greater extent support from high-level administrators, has been shown to decrease worker turnover in general, but little is known about its differential impact on minority workers. Utilizing four waves of the Schools and Staffing Survey, the authors uncover a novel pattern of the effect of workplace support on turnover in the market for public school teachers. Support is most strongly associated with retention for minority teachers working in schools where minorities are under-represented. This effect is pronounced for teachers new to the profession and those in rural areas. This indicates that workplace support is essential in maintaining or growing minority representation in relatively less-diverse organizations.


    Announcements

    Link to past Announcements