Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
MNEA representatives on MACCE are Paul Aubrey (North Kansas City NEA), Lisa Baldwin (North Kansas City NEA), Francine Hill (Francis Howell NEA), Jacqueline McGill (Hazelwood NEA), Cary Sikes (Springfield NEA), and Dr. Alexander Tai (Columbia MNEA).
Election of Officers
MACCE nominated and elected Chair and Vice Chair. Statute (168.015) states:
“… the Advisory Council, by a majority vote of its members, shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from its voting members. The chairperson shall direct all business of the Council and report to the Commissioner all actions taken by the Advisory Council. The vice chairperson shall preside over committee meetings in the absence of the chairperson.”
Upon nomination and majority vote, the Chair for the next calendar year will be Kezia Bohanon (MSTA) and Vice Chair will be Jacqueline McGill (MNEA).
Fingerprinting and Background Checks
Members of MACCE received an update from Educator Quality surrounding Fingerprinting Background Check, which is “required for any individual who applies for a certificate, who is employed with a district as a certified or non-certified staff, or a volunteer that may be alone with students.” There has been an influx in the number of background checks processed due to the high number of substitute certification applications in the past year.
Fingerprinting background checks must be done through the Missouri State Highway Patrol and currently, they are unable to allow multiple districts to receive a single digital fingerprint background check for an individual. As it is now, an applicant at multiple districts must get multiple fingerprint background checks, one for each district; Highway Patrol is looking to add physical fingerprinting cards as an option that would allow multiple districts to use. However, the physical fingerprinting process will take longer to process than the digital fingerprinting option.
The reason for fingerprinting at each district is due to its connection to the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). Districts are provided access to the MACHS site to monitor the fingerprinting process, status, and “provides real-time automated email notification of arrests and criminal dispositions…within 24 hours.” It is because of this site that each district must have fingerprints from each applicant.
For policy compliance purposes, districts that utilize results from Highway Patrol and FBI are audited on a triennial basis.
MACCE also received updates on the Discipline of Certificates process and how it works in practice. There were no clarifying questions or concerns presented by the Council.
Certification Updates
Missouri Association of College for Teacher Education (MACTE) has prompted the formation of workgroups within MACCE to prioritize content areas to update competencies required for certification in each area. The plan is to cycle through updating competencies for all content certifications. Dr. Alexander Tai of CMNEA has volunteered his time and expertise to help with English Language Learners.
Educator Prep Programs
Teacher Prep Entry Assessment
In the Missouri Professional Teacher and Administrator Act (168.400-168.415), all Educator Prep Programs (EPPs) must establish entry-level testing for prospective students. DESE has been unable to find evidence in any study that this entry-level exam contributes to better teachers, and they are speaking with legislators about removing this requirement. Missouri NEA supports the elimination of this barrier of entry into EPPs. Removal of the exam allows for flexibility; it is “rigorous yet flexible enough to allow admittance to those who demonstrate potential for effective practice…[and] not based solely upon standardized test scores” (MNEA Resolutions, D-3, Spring 2022). The removal of the entry exam for an EPP would not affect the certification exams (i.e. MEGA).
RFP Process for State Educator Assessment
Missouri’s contract with Pearson—the current testing company that provides educator exams—is expiring and Missouri has opened Request for Proposals from testing companies. There are only two companies that provide this service—Pearson or ETS—so Missouri will eventually move forward with either of these companies. DESE does not feel as if they have gotten enough additional benefit for adjusting the Pearson exams to be specific to Missouri so they are looking at exams that are used by multiple states. There is a possibility that the state could stay with the current exams or move forward with a new iteration of this exam by Summer 2024. It was asked if the state receives any kickback funds from the certification examination companies and it was clarified that they do not; the state is merely a facilitator between the testing company and candidates.
Apprenticeships
Select EPPs have started offering Apprenticeships for teachers as they work toward certification. This would allow teacher candidates to earn money while completing student teaching and their final requirements toward certification. EPPs are taking more of a lead on this opportunity for teacher candidates and DESE is doing more coordination in terms of certifications.
The next MACCE meeting will be held virtually on February 6, 2023. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes or Rebeka McIntosh at 800-392-0236 or by emailing Samantha.Hayes@mnea.org or Rebeka.McIntosh@mnea.org.
Information about MACCE can be found here at the DESE website.
Past MACCE meeting reports from MNEA can be found here at the MNEA website.
Respectfully submitted,
Rebeka McIntosh, MNEA vice president Rebeka.McIntosh@mnea.org
Samantha Hayes, MNEA teaching and learning director Samantha.Hayes@mnea.org
Visit www.mnea.org/stateboard to find more reports from the MACCE meetings.