Local Professional Development Committee By-Laws

Revised May 18, 2006

PURPOSE:

The Fostoria Community Schools Local Professional Development Committee shall oversee, set policy, and review professional development goals for the full implementation of the teacher certification/1icensure law. (O.R.C. 167.04; SB 230; O.R.C. 3301.24.08).

REPRESENTATION:

The FCS-LPDC shall be made up of individuals from each educational level who are interested in educator training and professional development as it pertains to certification/licensure renewal for teachers and administrators.

The FCS-LPDC shall consist of seven (7) members: four (4) members will be teachers selected by the executive committee of the local bargaining unit (Fostoria Education Association) with the other three (3) members consisting of administrators. In all cases, if the LPDC has a need for expansion or develops sub-committees, there shall be a majority of teacher members appointed by F .E.A. A chairperson for all committees shall be elected by a majority vote of the LPDC. All members must be present to vote on any changes relating to procedural matters. The term of office for members serving on the committees shall be 3 years. Terms for alternate committee members will be for a 1 year period. Alternates will be selected by the F .E.A. In the event that an alternate is needed, it is the responsibility of the absentee committee member to contact the alternate to attend the meeting. In the event of an unexpected vacancy, the committee member shall be replaced by the appropriate appointing party to complete the term of the vacated position. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms, limited by action of the LPDC.

COMMITTEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

All officers are elected for one, two or three year terms to be determined by the LPDC after the initial pilot year. The chairperson shall be elected by a majority vote of the LPDC members. The chairperson's responsibilities will be to conduct the FCS­LPDC meetings, communicate information to the members of the FCS-LPDC, to sign appropriate documents (IPDP/Pre-approval, and/or equivalent activities) communicate information to association members, and to represent the FCS-LPDC at meetings of other stakeholder's organizations (i.e. the NCOESC-LPDC committee).

A recorder/clerk/secretary from the administrative secretarial/classified staff shall be appointed by the superintendent with the approval of the F.E.A. This person shall not be a voting member but will maintain all LPDC files, minutes of all meetings, notify all applicants of approval/denial/re-submission status of the Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP), pre-approvals, and/or equivalent other activities proposals for audit. The recorder/clerk/secretary will also be responsible for issuing notification of upcoming meeting. Notifications will also include minutes of the previous meeting so members can review them for approval.

            According to the Sunshine Law the dates and times of the LPDC meetings are to be published in the media and the meetings are open according to the Ohio Revised Code.

COMMITTEE PROCEDURES:

The committee shall meet according to the meeting schedule/plans set up by the LPDC in May prior to the end of the school year. The August meeting shall be determined by the LPDC at the last meeting of the school year.

An emergency meeting may be called by the chairperson, with the concurrence of a majority (three other members) of the committee. Conference calls may be utilized for FCS-LPDC business.

            A quorum necessary to conduct LPDC business shall be four (4) members out of

the seven (7) FCS-LPDC members. The teachers must be the majority of the quorum.

. At least four (4) out of the seven (7) FCS-LPDC members must agree upon a proposal for it to be considered approved. When voting occurs, at least one member from the F.E.A. and one member from the administration must be present.

The FCS- LPDC shall keep confidential all reviews, evaluations, and discussions of the IPDP's and or course/activity proposals. No document submitted for consideration by the FCS-LPDC shall be used as an example without the written consent of the teacher/administrator involved.

Minutes or records of actions taken by the committee shall be maintained by the FCS-LPDC recorder/clerk/secretary. Copies of the minutes/records shall be provided to the FCS-LPDC members prior to the next meeting for review or to any teacher who requests such information for their records. The community at large may view records but action taken or the reasons an action was taken shall remain confidential.

Evaluation and approval of the IPDP's and/or course/activity pre-approval forms shall be considered by a quorum/majority of the committee members. A limit of fifteen (15) minutes per proposal shall be adhered to by all members of the FCS-LPDC.

            Reviewed IPDP's and/or pre-approval forms shall be returned within a reasonable

time period after their review.

All IPDP's and/or pre-approval activity forms should be submitted to the LPDC chairperson or the LPDC recorder/clerk/secretary at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the posted meeting date.

POLICIES GOVERNING INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS:

Course work; classes/workshops and/or equivalent other activities which will be used to satisfy the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) renewal requirements MUST be approved by the FCS-LPDC.

Course work must be from ODE or OBOR (Ohio Board of Regents) accredited providers.

          Course work/workshops/classes and/or equivalent activities MUST relate to the individual's professional field of study or their educational goals.

Although required work within the Master's Program applies to university degree, courses submitted to the FCS-LPDC for certificate/licensure renewal purposes must the relevant to an approved IPDP.

Approval of course work/ workshops/classes and/or equivalent other activities does not guarantee reimbursement or movement on the salary schedule. See negotiated agreement for specific requirements.

Credit hours and CEU's earned prior to August 25, 1998. will be conditionally approved retroactively. Credit hours/CEU's must have been earned during the current certification/licensure renewal period and must meet previously established ODE guidelines for acceptability toward certificate renewal.

Course work, classes/workshops and/or equivalent other activities initiated after August 25, 1998, will be eligible for approval by the FCS-LPDC.

             Appropriate proof will be required for all course work, workshop/classes, and/or equivalent other activities completed toward IPDP fulfillment. Official transcripts are needed for credited classwork. Certificates of attendance may be used for workshops, etc.

The FCS-LPDC policy, procedure and by-laws shall not supercede the negotiated contract and/or district policy. Proposals to the FCS-LPDC and approvals/denials by the FCS-LPDC shall not override the negotiated agreement and/or district policy.

NEW EMPLOYEE WITH PREVIOUS EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Previously employed new hires who hold a valid certificate/license issued by the ODE and who have course work/activities approved by their prior LPDC during their current renewal cycle shall have said course work/activities approved by the FCS-LPDC when accompanied by verifiable supporting documentation.

UNIVERSITY CREDIT TOWARD CERTIFICATIONILICENSURE RENEWAL:

            All university work must be relevant to an approved Individual Professional

Development Plan (IPDP).

            All course work must be relevant to the individual's professional field of study or to their educational goals.

CEU CREDIT TOWARD CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE:

All non-district initiated workshops/classes MUST be approved by the FCS­LPDC and MUST be relevant to an approved Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP).

            All workshops/classes must be relevant to the individual's professional field of

study or to their educational goals.

EQUIVALENT OTHER ACTIVITY CREDIT TOWARD

CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE:

            All equivalent other activities MUST be approved by the FCS-LPDC and MUST be relevant to an approved Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP).

            All equivalent other activities must be relevant to the individual's professional

field of study or to their educational goals.

            CEU's for equivalent other activities are to be determined on an individual basis

by the FCS-LPDC per current CEU requirements for ODE (10 contact hours = I CEU).

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The appropriate pre-approval form, if needed, must be submitted for approval BEFORE beginning professional development where consideration toward renewal/licensure of said course is sought. A pre-approval is not required for district held workshops and/or college course work that meets the educator's Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) from an Ohio Board of Regents accredited university. The LPDC may waive the above requirement for unique/unusual situations, but credit for course-work begun before proposal approvals are not guaranteed.

It is the responsibility of the Fostoria Community Schools certificated/licensed employee to monitor the expiration dates of his or her certificate(s), licensees), as well as to maintain the proper documents to renew. Proper planning is needed in order to meet all LPDC/State requirements. Unless otherwise notified, Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP's ) should be submitted to the LPDC immediately following renewal or upgrading of a license or certificate.