FOSTORIA CITY SCHOOLS LOCAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

BY-LAWS, PROCEDURES, APPEAL PROCESS

FOSTORIA CITY SCHOOLS LPDC BY-LAWS

Mission Statement: The mission of the Fostoria City Schools Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) is to ensure educator quality by providing a direct link between high quality professional development, continuous improvement, and continuing teacher licensure.

Purpose: The purpose of the Fostoria City Schools LPDC is to create the district’s standards, policies, and procedures for educator growth through high quality professional development to ensure that educators are highly qualified in their field and to continue their Licensure.

Membership and Terms: The committee shall be comprised of seven members, four teachers and three administrators. The teacher members shall be selected by a vote from the FEA. There shall also be two substitutes in the event a member must be absent from the meeting. Their terms shall be three years. The administrators shall be selected by the Superintendent. In the event of a vacancy, the committee member shall be replaced in the same manner. When an administrator’s license is being considered, at the administrator’s request the number of teachers on the committee will be reduced such that a majority of administrators comprise the committee for consideration of the license.

Meetings and Policies: The LPDC shall meet each September for its annual “reorganization.” October will be utilized for meetings with each teacher whose License will be expiring at the end of the school year. These meetings will take place in each of the buildings throughout the district. Any teacher with questions concerning his/her LPDC procedures may attend. A meeting schedule will be set from February to June to ensure all those who need to renew their License will have ample opportunities to do so.

All meetings of the LPDC shall be public meetings and the schedule shall be posted online through the district’s website and/or in each of the buildings.

Minutes of the LPDC meetings shall be available upon request for viewing at the Administration office or from the Committee Chair.

The LPDC shall not have authority to revise, change, delete or modify any article/provision of the Master Agreement or written policies and procedures of the Board.

The LPDC does not have the authority to make any decision or promulgate any rule or procedure which impacts upon the wages, hours or terms and conditions of employment of unit members, or that requires expenditure of Board funds, without the express prior approval of the Board and the FEA.

Amending the By-Laws: Amendments shall be voted on by a voice vote. A simple majority of members present and voting will prevail.

Roles: The committee Chairperson shall be elected by a vote of the FEA and a Recorder shall be designated at each meeting.

• The responsibilities of the Chairperson are the conduct LPDC meetings, to communicate information to the members of the LPDC, to represent the LPDC at other meetings which may be called, and to initiate the process to fill vacancies on the LPDC. Also, the LPDC chairperson will be responsible to provide a leaving LPDC form and appropriate documents to those leaving the district when information is requested.

• The responsibilities of the Recorder are to maintain minutes of action taken during LPDC meetings using the form provided. They will submit these notes to the committee Chair who will keep a copy and provide one to Central Office.

• The responsibilities of the committee members are to:

          *Serve as staff information contact at their building

          *Participate fully as a review panel for the IPDP

          *Suggest and work with individuals as necessary with teachers on the planning

                   of their IPDP

          *Participate in the professional growth of the LPDC

FOSTORIA CITY LPDC PROCEDURES

LPDC Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the Fostoria City Schools LPDC to:

• Assist all certified/licensed educators within the Fostoria City Schools system in their Licensure renewal

• Know the current law and licensure standards regarding Licensure renewal

• Approve educators’ coursework and other professional development activities to meet the licensure renewal standards

• Establish and abide by the procedures, criteria, and timelines of the LPDC

• Register the LPDC with the Ohio Department of Education annually

• Operate under the Open Meetings Act and Public Records Act. 

Educator Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the Fostoria City Schools staff member to:

• If seeking tuition reimbursement, request pre-approval of all coursework

• Refer to Continuing Education Unit Options document for pre-approved options acceptable for renewing a license

• Monitor the expiration date(s) of certificate/license

• Complete an IPDP after each Licensure renewal

• Choose coursework or other professional development activities that reflect the goals of the educator, the district and the building

• Align all CEU’s and coursework with the stated goals of the IPDP. Coursework or professional development activities completed prior to the approval of the IPDP will not be accepted for Licensure renewal

• Maintain records of all licensure and LPDC transactions, particularly the LPDC review and approval of an IPDP

• Maintain records of coursework and CEU credit and present all evidence of professional development at the time of Licensure renewal

• Meet with an LPDC member at a building meeting the school year the License is due to expire

• Make an appointment for Licensure renewal

• Follow the criteria and timelines of the LPDC

• When leaving Fostoria City Schools contact the chairperson to obtain a leaving LPDC form and any documentation that may be needed in a new position. Do so in a timely manner and with the understanding that the beginning of a school year is very busy and it may take longer to get the information needed

*Educators with a permanent certificate do not fall under the guidelines for the LPDC

*Resident Educators do not fall under the guidelines for the LPDC. After year three or four depending on the completion of the Resident Educator program, a license will be issued. When the license is issued the Resident Educator should meet with their building LPDC representative or the LPDC chairperson to write their first IPDP

APPEAL PROCESS

Level One: Any certified/licensed staff member who wishes to appeal the decision of the LPDC may petition the LPDC in writing, within ten (10) work days or thirty (30) calendar days, whichever comes first. The staff member may resubmit a proposal in writing for the committee to consider. The appeal will be considered at the next regularly scheduled LPDC meeting. The staff member must be present at the meeting.

The LPDC shall render its decision in writing within ten (10) work days, or thirty (30) calendar days, whichever comes first, after the appeal.

Level Two: Any certificated/licensed staff member wishing to appeal the Level One decision of the LPDC may petition the LPDC Committee within seven (7) calendar days 0f the LPDC’s decision. An Appeals Committee will be developed consisting of one representative of the LPDC and one person selected by the staff member who is certified/licensed in the same subject area. The two representatives shall mutually agree upon a third person who shall also be certified/licensed in the same subject area. This committee shall schedule a meeting within thirty (30) calendar days of the appeal. The staff member must be present at this meeting.

The Appeals Committee shall render its binding decision in writing within ten (10) calendar days. The decision of this committee is not grievable.

Reciprocity: The Fostoria City Schools LPDC shall accept outside approved IPDP’s and approved professional development credit for any staff member hired by the Fostoria City Schools from any school district or agency as fulfilling all necessary requirements of the Fostoria City Schools LPDC renewal process. Work already completed and approved in the previous position shall be honored.

License Renewal Procedure Timeline

Years 1-5 of Existing License

Year 5 of Existing License

2 Weeks Before Renewal Meeting

1. Fill out CEU Summary Form for all CEU credits

2. Get FBI/BCI fingerprint check- this can be done at Central Office

3. Double check credits and documentation

Bring to Renewal Meeting

1. Copy of all documentation for credit

2. Front/back copies of all certificates of attendance for the LPDC to keep on file if you want to keep the originals.

3. An official transcript of college credits earned for this renewal period only

After Renewal Meeting

1. Fill out online application and make payment by credit card

2. Submit this application and payment directly to ODE using the directions given 

*Once approval is received to renew, an e-mail will be sent with the directions on how exactly to navigate the online renewal process

*After a license is received, meet with your building LPDC representative or the chairperson to create a new IPDP. A new IPDP must be on file in order to earn hours for the new licensure cycle.

Meetings are scheduled the 3rd Thursday of the month. Notice that the LPDC does not meet each month. 

• Coursework and IPDPs for pre-approval may be submitted until 48 hours before a scheduled meeting

• Coursework being taken in the summer and fall will be approved at the May meeting

• Coursework being taken in the spring or summer will be approved at the November meeting