EDUCATOR STANDARDS BOARD
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
JANUARY 31, 2006

It has been since November 21, 2005 that the Educator Standards Board has convened. In the interim, ODE staff for the ESB have been supporting the work of the ESB in several ways.

First, ODE staff have been developing the content and format for the Awareness Tool Kit to be used to increase awareness and understanding of how to use the new standards in the educational community. You have a draft of that tool kit for your review this month. A related concern I have expressed to the Chair is that very few of the stakeholder organizations have responded to staff requests to delineate existing opportunities to reach their constituencies with the information.

Second, I have been working to update the information contained on the ESB web site. One aspect of that is that there is now a direct link to the ESB site under the “Quick Links” section on the ODE home page. This addition responds to numerous comments from users that the ESB web site was difficult to find from the ODE home page.

Third, ODE staff have been facilitating the review, analysis, revision, and validation project for the indicator level of the standards. Representatives from ETS and McREL will be addressing the ESB at the February meeting to discuss the progress of their review and analysis of the indicators for teacher standards and principal standards respectively.

Fourth, I have been working to respond to the request from the Professional Policies Committee to contract with an outside consultant to assist with the development of Ohio’s career ladder proposal. A Request for Quotes and Qualifications was developed and posted, and discussions have taken place to bring a contractor on board for the March and April committee meetings, as well as doing additional off site work.

The annual ESB self evaluation tool was administered in late December and early January via an on line process, and the Professional Policies Committee will review and analyze the results for your consideration this month.

I have been working on the Chair’s request to contact the stakeholder organizations concerning member term expirations in July. Our hope is that we can work with the State Board of Education to have replacements and renewals acted upon by May so that any new members can attend the June retreat along with the outgoing members to effect a smooth transition.

On a related note, OBR has submitted the names of two nominees to replace Karen Wells following her resignation from the ESB, and we hope that the SBOE can accomplish naming a replacement at their February meeting.



Lee Miller, Director