Notice of Proposed Rule

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education
Rule No.: RULE TITLE
6A-5.065: The Educator Accomplished Practices
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the rule amendment is to revise the existing essential practices of effective teachers that form the basis for all Florida teacher preparation programs. The effect will be the establishment of the core practices for teacher appraisal systems.
SUMMARY: Sections 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.225, 1012.34, and 1012.56, F.S., establish requirements for educator accomplished practices that serve as the state’s standards for effective instructional practice and are used to define and identify effective teaching. The Educator Accomplished Practices have not been reviewed or revised since adoption in 1998. The rule as amended will incorporate contemporary research and sound educational principles in effective educational practices.
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: 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.225, 1012.34, 1012.56 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.225, 1012.34, 1012.56 FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: December 17, 2010, 11:00 a.m.
PLACE: Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus, 300 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Building 2000, Room 2106, Miami, Florida
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Kathy Hebda, Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality, Department of Education, Suite 1502, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399; (850)245-0509

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

(Substantial rewording of Rule 6A-5.065 follows. See Florida Administrative Code for present text):

6A-5.065 The Educator Accomplished Practices.

(1) Purpose and Foundational Principles.

(a) Purpose. The Educator Accomplished Practices are set forth in rule as Florida’s core standards for effective educators. The Accomplished Practices form the foundation for the state’s teacher preparation programs, educator certification requirements and school district instructional personnel appraisal systems.

(b) Foundational Principles. The Accomplished Practices are based upon and further describe three (3) essential principles:

1. The effective educator creates a culture of high expectations for all students by promoting the importance of education and each student’s capacity for academic achievement.

2. The effective educator demonstrates deep and comprehensive knowledge of the subject taught.

3. The effective educator exemplifies the standards of the profession.

(2) The Educator Accomplished Practices. Each effective educator applies the foundational principles through six (6) Educator Accomplished Practices. Each of the practices is clearly defined to promote a common language and statewide understanding of the expectations for the quality of instruction and professional responsibility.

(a) Quality of Instruction.

1. Instructional Design and Lesson Planning. Applying concepts from human development and learning theories, the effective educator consistently:

a. Aligns instruction with state-adopted standards at the appropriate level of rigor;

b. Sequences lessons and concepts to ensure coherence and required prior knowledge;

c. Designs instruction for students to achieve mastery;

d. Selects appropriate formative assessments to monitor learning;

e. Uses diagnostic student data to plan lessons; and

f. Develops learning experiences that require students to demonstrate a variety of applicable skills and competencies.

2. The Learning Environment. To maintain a student-centered learning environment that is safe, organized, equitable, flexible, inclusive, and collaborative, the effective educator consistently:

a. Organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space, and attention;

b. Manages individual and class behaviors through a well-planned management system;

c. Conveys high expectations to all students;

d. Respects students’ cultural and family background;

e. Models clear, acceptable oral and written communication skills;

f. Maintains a climate of openness, inquiry, fairness and support;

g. Integrates current information and communication technologies;

h. Adapts the learning environment to accommodate the differing needs and diversity of students; and

i. Utilizes current and emerging assistive technologies that enable students to participate in high-quality communication interactions and achieve their educational goals.

3. Instructional Delivery and Facilitation. The effective educator consistently utilizes a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the subject taught to:

a.Deliver engaging and challenging lessons;

b. Deepen and enrich students’ understanding through content area literacy strategies, verbalization of thought, and application of the subject matter;

c. Identify gaps in students’ subject matter knowledge;

d. Modify instruction to respond to preconceptions or misconceptions;

e. Relate and integrate the subject matter with other disciplines and life experiences;

f. Employ higher-order questioning techniques;

g. Apply varied instructional strategies and resources, including appropriate technology, to teach for student understanding;

h. Differentiate instruction based on an assessment of student learning needs and recognition of individual differences in students;

i. Support, encourage, and provide immediate and specific feedback to students to promote student achievement; and

j. Utilize student feedback to monitor instructional needs and to adjust instruction.

4. Assessment. The effective educator consistently:

a. Analyzes and applies data from multiple assessments and measures to diagnose students’ learning needs, informs instruction based on those needs, and drives the learning process;

b. Designs and aligns formative and summative assessments that match learning objectives and lead to mastery;

c. Uses a variety of assessment tools to monitor student progress, achievement and learning gains;

d. Modifies assessments and testing conditions to accommodate learning styles and varying levels of knowledge;

e. Shares the importance and outcomes of student assessment data with the student and the student’s parent/caregiver(s); and

f. Applies technology to organize and integrate assessment information.

(b) Continuous Improvement, Responsibility and Ethics.

1. Continuous Professional Improvement. The effective educator consistently:

a. Designs purposeful professional goals to strengthen the effectiveness of instruction based on students’ needs;

b. Examines and uses data-informed research to improve instruction and student achievement;

c. Uses a variety of data, independently, and in collaboration with colleagues, to evaluate learning outcomes, adjust planning and continuously improve the effectiveness of the lessons;

d. Collaborates with the home, school and larger communities to foster communication and to support student learning and continuous improvement;

e. Engages in targeted professional growth opportunities and reflective practices; and

f. Implements knowledge and skills learned in professional development in the teaching and learning process.

2. Professional Responsibility and Ethical Conduct. Understanding that educators are held to a high moral standard in a community, the effective educator adheres to the Code of Ethics and the Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession of Florida, pursuant to Rules 6B-1.001 and 6B-1.006, F.A.C, and fulfills the expected obligations to students, the public and the education profession.

Rulemaking Specific Authority 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.225, 1012.34, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.225, 1012.34, 1012.56 FS. History–New 7-2-98, Amended________.


NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Frances Haithcock, Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Dr. Eric Smith, Commissioner, Department of Education
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: November 1, 2010
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: March 5, 2010