Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

465 Commercial Street NE

Salem OR 97301

February 9-11, 2011

ITEM:

REVIEW OF OAR 584-052-0027 CASES (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAIVERS)

ACTION:

INFORMATION ITEM

INFORMATION:

OAR 584-052-0027 requires that the Executive Director report to the Commission when a waiver is made pursuant to OAR 584-052-0027(1). (See, attached agenda item 3.6a.)

The applicant (GL) completed a School Counseling program at Boise State in 2008. She did not apply for the license at that time, but she did maintain fairly regular contact with the Commission regarding the requirements for licensure.

GL had completed a significant portion of a school counseling program in the late 1980s. She only needed a practicum and some coursework to complete the program of study. She lives on the far east side of the state and had great difficulty finding an Oregon program that would allow her to complete her program during the summers or online.

Consequently she enrolled in Boise State to complete her program. She did not apply for the Oregon or the Idaho School Counseling License. At the same time TSPC was changing its rules to require a full out-of-state license; Idaho changed its requirements for School Counseling. Early in 2009, GL contacted the TSPC office and was assured that all she needed to submit was the C-2 verifying completion of Idaho’s program in order to obtain a license. The Commission amended that rule to require full licensure in November 2009.

The Executive Director waived the licensure requirement under the following italicized subsection of the rule.

584-052-0015 -- Preparation in Another State (In pertinent part)

(1) If an applicant has completed an out-of-state educator licensure preparation program and the candidate is fully eligible for the out-of-state license for which the applicant is applying, the applicant’s preparation may be evaluated by the Commission. In such cases, the Commission may require the applicant to:

(a) Present the out-of-state license prior to evaluation for issuance of an Oregon license as proof of program completion;

(b) Provide evidence that the out-of-state program was completed and compelling evidence to the Executive Director why the applicant is not eligible for the out-of-state license; or