6A-4.00821: Florida Educational Leadership Examination
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule amendment is to adopt changes to the competencies and skills for the Florida Educational Leadership Examination, effective January 1, 2009. Additionally, revisions to the registration form and to the procedures for reviewing failed examinations are proposed. The effect of these changes will be updated competencies and skills for the Florida Educational Leadership Examination and examinees will have greater access to score verification sessions statewide.
SUMMARY: The rule is proposed for amendment to adopt the new edition of the Competencies and Skills Required for Certification in Educational Leadership in Florida, the revised registration form, and to improve the process for reviewing failed examinations.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 1012.55(1) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.55(1) FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: June 17, 2008, 8:30 a.m.
PLACE: Tampa Airport Marriott, Tampa, FL
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Dr. Mike Jones, Program Director, Postsecondary Assessment, Office of Assessment and School Performance, Accountability, Research, and Measurement, 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 414, Tallahassee, FL 32399, (850)245-0513
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
6A-4.00821 Florida Educational Leadership Examination.
(1) Scope. This rule governs the written examination for certification in Education Leadership. Additional requirements for certification in Educational Leadership are specified in Rule 6A-4.0082, F.A.C.
(2) Description of the examination.
(a) The Florida Educational Leadership Examination shall be developed by the Commissioner of Education.
(b) Before January 1, 2009, tThe written examination shall contain questions in the areas of:
1. School communications. This subtest shall contain an essay and multiple-choice questions in communications.
2. School management. This subtest shall contain multiple-choice questions covering management, leadership, and personnel.
3. School operations. This subtest shall contain multiple-choice questions covering law, finance, curriculum, and technology.
(c) Beginning January 1, 2009, the written examination shall contain multiple-choice questions and a performance assessment associated with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards specified in Rule 6A-5.080, F.A.C., in the areas of:
1. Instructional Leadership.
2. Operational Leadership.
3. School Leadership.
(d) Before January 1, 2009, tThe competencies to be demonstrated by means of a written examination are contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Certification in Educational Leadership in Florida, Second Edition 2002,” which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. Copies of this publication may be obtained from the Department of Education, Office of Assessment and Evaluation Section, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, at a price to be established by the Commissioner not to exceed actual cost.
(e) Beginning January 1, 2009, the competencies to be demonstrated by means of a written examination are contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Certification in Educational Leadership in Florida, Third Edition 2008,” which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. Copies of this publication may be obtained from the Department of Education, Office of Assessment, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, at a price to be established by the Commissioner not to exceed actual cost.
(3) Administration of the examination.
(a) The examination shall be administered by a test administration agency or agencies under contract with the Florida Department of Education.
(b) The examination shall be administered at least two (2) times each year. The Commissioner of Education shall establish the examination dates each year, which may include additional test administrations.
(c) The examination shall be administered at centers designated by the Commissioner of Education.
(d) An examinee may retake a failed examination provided at least thirty (30) calendar days have elapsed since the previous administration of the failed examination.
(4) Registration, late registration, and refunds.
(a) Registration for the examination shall be for the initial examination or for one (1) or more subtests not previously passed. To register to take the examination, an applicant shall submit a completed application to the test administration agency. The completed application shall be received by the test administration agency at least fifty (50) days preceding the examination date.
1. A completed application shall consist of the following:
a. A completed application Form CG-20-04, Registration Application: Certification Examinations for Florida Educators, which includes the applicant’s signature. Form CG-20-04 is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule to become effective August 1, 2008 October 2004. This form may be obtained without cost from the Bureau of Educator Certification, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 or may be submitted online via the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations/Florida Educational Leadership Examination Program Web site website at http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/apply.asp.
b. Before January 1, 2009, a fifty (50) dollar registration fee. Beginning January 1, 2009, an eighty-five (85) dollar first-time registration fee. A fee of one hundred (100) dollars for each retake registration, effective January 1, 2009.
c. A charge of one hundred (100) dollars in addition to the fees described in sub-subparagraph 6A-4.0021(4)(a)1.b., F.A.C., for certification applicants taking a supplemental examination.
2. An incomplete application shall be returned to the applicant. Applications which are completed and resubmitted to the test administration agency after the fifty (50) day deadline shall be acceptable only if the applicant complies with requirements specified in paragraph 6A-4.00821(4)(b), F.A.C.
(b) Late registration for the examination shall be for the initial examination or for one (1) or more subtests not previously passed. An applicant who did not submit a completed application to the test administration agency within the fifty (50) day deadline may register for the examination by completing the requirements listed in subparagraph 6A-4.00821(4)(a)2., F.A.C., and submitting a thirty (30) dollar late charge. All items shall be received by the test administration agency at least thirty (30) days preceding the examination date. Late registration shall be accepted on a space available basis.
(c) Refunds. Fees shall be refunded provided written requests for refunds are received by the test administration agency at least thirty (30) days preceding the examination date. Failure to appear for or to complete an examination shall result in forfeiture of fees.
(5) Admission. The test administration agency shall provide each applicant with an admission ticket specifying the examination center and the time of the examination. The admission ticket and other identification are required for entrance into the examination center. The other identification shall be specified on the admission ticket. An applicant who arrives after the examination has begun shall not be admitted until the start of the next subtest of the examination.
(6) Examinee, handicapped. An applicant who is unable to complete the examination under standard testing conditions because of a handicap may request special arrangements. Such a request shall be made when the examination application is submitted. Lack of proficiency in the English language shall not be acceptable as a justifiable reason for requesting a reader for an examinee. Special arrangements shall be provided for applicants with handicapping conditions.
(7) Scoring of the examination.
(a) The examination shall be scored on a measurement scale which has an overall mean scale score of five hundred (500) and a standard deviation of one hundred (100). The Commissioner of Education shall designate the administration of the examination which shall be used as the base year for statistical calculations.
(b) The essay portion of the school communications subtest shall be scored by two (2) trained judges using a scale of one (1) which is an unsatisfactory score to four (4) which is an outstanding score. In the event the two (2) ratings are two (2) or more points different, or in the event the summed ratings equal three (3), the writing sample will be rated by a referee and the referee’s score will replace the most discrepant of the original ratings.
(a)(c) Prior to July 1, 1988, a score earned on the Florida Educational Leadership Examination shall be considered a passing score and shall be valid for Educational Leadership certification application for a period of two (2) years from the test administration date. Applicants for the Educational Leadership certificate shall be required to present a score report to the Florida Department of Education when applying for the certificate.
(b)(d) Beginning July 1, 1988 through December 31, 2008, a passing score for each subtest of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination shall be:
1. School Communications. Examinee scores for the school communications subtest shall be reported as an average scaled score combining the scaled score from the essay test and the scaled score from the multiple-choice questions. The passing score shall be the scaled score equivalent to the combination of the essay total raw score of four (4) and a multiple-choice total raw score of fifteen (15) on the November, 1987 administration of the subtest.
2. School Management. Examinee scores for the school management subtest shall be reported as a scaled score. The passing score shall be the scaled score equivalent to a total raw score of sixty-nine (69) on the November, 1987 administration of the subtest.
3. School Operations. Examinee scores for the school operations subtest shall be reported as a scaled score. The passing score shall be the scaled score equivalent to a total raw score of ninety-one (91) on the November, 1987 administration of the subtest.
(c)(e) The subtest score scales for administrations of the examination from after July 1, 1988 through December 31, 2008, shall be equated to the November, 1987 subtest administration.
(d) Effective January 1, 2009, a passing score for each subtest of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (Instructional Leadership, Operational Leadership, and School Leadership) shall be:
1. Instructional Leadership. Examinee scores for the instructional leadership subtest shall be reported as a scaled score. The passing score shall be a scaled score of two hundred (200).
2. Operational Leadership. Examinee scores for the operational leadership subtest shall be reported as a scaled score. The passing score shall be a scaled score of two hundred (200).
3. School Leadership. Examinee scores for the school leadership subtest shall be reported as a scaled score which is the combination of the scaled score from the written performance assessment and the scaled score from the multiple-choice questions. The written performance assessment shall be weighted thirty (30) percent and the multiple-choice questions shall be weighted seventy (70) percent when determining the combined scaled score. The passing score shall be a combined scaled score of two hundred (200).
(8) Written Performance Assessment Essay performance standards.
(a) Judges. The test scoring agency shall appoint persons to judge the written performance assessment of the school leadership subtest who have demonstrated through prior experience unusual success as educational leaders, instructional leaders, or school building administrators. portion of the school communications subtest who have the following minimum qualifications:
1. Academic preparation. At least a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in English, writing, and composition.
2. Experience. A minimum of two (2) years of experience in teaching and evaluating writing. Examples of qualifying experience are: teaching English or language arts in secondary schools, teaching college composition courses, serving as a teaching assistant for college classes in composition or working as a professional copy editor.
3. Specific training. Successful completion of a training program provided by the Florida Department of Education or its contractors.
(b) Referees. The referees shall be judges who have demonstrated in the training program and through prior experience unusual success as educational leaders, instructional leaders, or school building administrators composition teachers or raters.
(c) Rating scale. The four-level scale for judging the written essays is defined as follows:
1. A rating of one (1) indicates the essay lacks unity and focus. It is distorted or ambiguous, and it fails to treat the topic in sufficient depth and breadth. There is little or no discernible organization and only scant development of ideas, if any at all. The essay betrays only sporadically a sense of paragraph and sentence structure, and it is syntactically slipshod. Usage is irregular and often questionable or wrong. There are serious errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
2. A rating of two (2) indicates the essay has some degree of unity and focus, but each could be improved. It is reasonably clear, though not invariably so, and it treats the topic with a marginal degree of sufficiency. The essay reflects some concern for organization and for some development of ideas, but neither is necessarily consistent nor fully realized. The essay reveals some sense, if not full command of paragraph and sentence structure. It is syntactically bland and, at times, awkward. Usage is generally accurate, if not consistently so. There are some errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation that detract from the essay’s effect if not from its sense.
3. A rating of three (3) indicates the essay is focused and unified, and it is clearly if not distinctively written. It gives the topic an adequate though not always thorough treatment. The essay is well organized, and much of the time it develops ideas appropriately and sufficiently. It shows a good grasp of paragraph and sentence structure, and its usage is generally accurate and sensible. Syntactically, it is clear and reliable. There may be a few errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, but they are not serious.
4. A rating of four (4) indicates the essay is unified, sharply focused, and distinctively effective. It treats the topic clearly, completely, and in suitable depth and breadth. It is clearly and fully organized, and it develops ideas with consistent appropriateness and thoroughness. The essay reveals an unquestionably firm command of paragraph and sentence structure. Syntactically, it is smooth and often elegant. Usage is uniformly sensible, accurate, and sure. There are very few, if any, errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
(9) Score reports.
(a) A properly authenticated score report is defined as the original score report issued directly by the test administration agency without any qualification, reservation, or irregularity.
(b) The examinee shall be sent two (2) authenticated score reports. In addition, a copy of the score report may be issued by the test administration agency without a fee to one (1) Florida college or university and to one (1) Florida school district provided the examinee identifies the recipient or recipients of the score report on form either the CG-20-03A, Registration Application: Certification Examinations for Florida Educators or the CG-20-04, Registration Application: Certification Examinations for Florida Educators.
(c) Official documentation of scores earned on each subtest of the examination for an Educational Leadership certificate shall be the original authenticated score report or a duplicate authenticated score report as described in paragraphs 6A-4.00821(9)(a) and (e), F.A.C.
(d) After July 1, 1988, scores shall be reported as Pass or Fail for each subtest. The Commissioner of Education may provide additional score information to the examinee.
(e) An examinee may obtain a duplicate authenticated score report for a test administration by filing a written request and a fee. A fee is required for each score report that is requested. The fee shall be that amount necessary for the test administration agency to perform the service as agreed in the contract between the agency and the Florida Department of Education.
(10) Review.
(a) Requests for Manual Scoring and Verfication. An examinee who fails one (1) or more subtests of the examination may file a written request with the test administration agency for manual scoring handscoring of the multiple-choice section of a subtest which was failed with the exception of the essay part of the communications subtest. A written request may also be made to verify the scores for computer-based tests and performance components to ensure that the scores assigned were recorded accurately. The request shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the date the score report was mailed by the test administration agency. The fee for manual scoring, verification, or both, of handscoring one (1) or more subtests shall be that amount necessary for the test administration agency to perform the service as agreed in the contract between the agency and the Florida Department of Education. The test administration agency shall notify the examinee of the results of the request handscoring within thirty (30) days of receipt of the request and fee.
(b) Score Verification Sessions. An examinee who fails one (1) or more subtests of the examination may review only those incorrect test items contained within each subtest that was failed and bring to the Florida Department of Education’s attention any scoring errors which may result in a passing score. The procedures for test review are as follows:
1. The examinee shall register for a score verification session mail a written request to the Florida Educational Leadership Examination Program, Assessment, Testing, and Evaluation Section, Florida Department of Education, The Florida Education Center, Tallahassee, Florida 33299 within thirty (30) sixty (60) days of the date the score report was mailed by the test administration agency. The Florida Department of Education shall notify the examinee when a date has been scheduled for the examinee’s review of the materials in Tallahassee. On the review day
2. A processing fee is required for each score verfication session. The fee shall be the amount necessary for the test administration agency to perform the services agreed in the contract between the agency and the Florida Department of Education.
3. The examinee shall be provided an admission ticket that contains the location, date and time for the examinee’s score verfication session.
4. During the score verification session, the examinee shall file with the Florida Department of Education via the test administration agency a statement of specific scoring errors which may result in a passing score.
5. The Florida Department of Education shall review test items, verify examination keys, and consult with field-specific subject matter experts as needed.
6.2. The Commissioner of Education shall notify the individual of the action on the statement of scoring errors no later than thirty (30) days from receipt of the statement.
7. An examinee may retake a failed subtest that was reviewed provided at least thirty (30) days have elapsed since the date of the review. If an examinee takes a subtest, including computer-based administrations, that was reviewed within thirty (30) days of the test date, the subtest will be invalidated.
Specific Authority 1012.56, 1012.59 FS. Law Implemented 1012.56 FS. History–New 12-25-86, Amended 1-11-89, 5-19-98, 10-6-99, 7-17-00, 7-16-01, 3-24-02, 10-17-02, 3-24-03, 7-21-03, 6-22-04, 5-19-08,__________.