May 20, 2009
To the State Board of Education Commissioners:
Good Afternoon Board Members:
I come before you this afternoon to discuss the process used to change the
educational leadership test. Originally it was test code # 0410 entitled Ed Leadership
Administration and Supervision. Sometime in 2004 the test was change to test code #
0101 entitled School Administrator.
You provided a grandfather period for people who had taken the original test #
0410 only if they completed their coursework at a college or university in the State of NJ.
Yet people who took the new test and completed their coursework via online classes
outside of NJ were offered a certificate. Why wasn't this same opportunity not afforded to
people who took the old test and completed online programs that met the NJ Department
of Educations Regional Accreditations?
According to the letter dated April 25' 2005, Assistant Commissioner Mr. Richard
Ten-Eyck stated that the test requirement has never been a part of the program approval
process. The test requirement is a state certification process not a program requirement.
Therefore there is confusion on why an out of state university does not fall under the
grandfather period when the college you attend is not a part of the test requirements. A
student just needs to make sure that the University or college is a part of the Regionally
Accredited Colleges or University that the Dept of Education approves.
The way that the grandfather clause was put together discriminates against anyone
who completed their coursework outside the State of NJ and finished within the
grandfather time period. It also negates all the hard work, money and time that an
individual has dedicated to advancing their career in the field of education. Therefore, I am
requesting that the same opportunity given to people who completed programs in NJ are
afforded to those who completed their coursework outside of NJ and have met the
grandfather requirements set forth by the State Department of Education.
Please review and contact me at 201-522-4022.
Yours in Education,
~G.~~.
Charles A. Ferrer Sr.
& -0- & _& &
Application Status Check
Note:
- Results
Your unique Tracking number on the system is 130094
In all correspondence with NJDOE, please indicate your unique tracking number
Number of Applications found : 1
Application
Number
1
iDate
Received
7 /20/2007
Endorsement
ertificate Type
iRequest Type
Status
Comments
Denied
Assianed on: 0
0106
- SUDervlsor
Standard
rertificate
0101
- School
CE
-
ertificate
Administrator
https://www6.state.nj.us/DOE_TCIS_ASC/appStatusSearch.do
Pending for Test
Assigned on: 0
Score
2/20/2009
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DEPAJtfMENr 01' EO\JCATION .
PO Box 500
'l1IINTON, NJ 0862S.QSOO
RICHARD]. CoDE't
A.d/llg Gcwnl4l'
Wtt.L1AM L. llBRERA
ComnliJsiDr.rr
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~prl12S, 2005
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FROM
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SUBJECT:
Deans
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i1&:tors of ~~~tor Professional Preparation Programs
.Richard !r~yck, Assistant Commissi~ner
Divisi :Kfu"~onal Programs ~ Assessment
SChool AdministratorlPrlncipaI New Jersey Approved
College Preparation ~8r~
.
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Issues have been ridsed reganling the grandfatherlng of students that is authoIized
in ~.J.A.C. 6A.:9.12.1(b). The language reads as follows:,
6A:9-12.1 Use..o/requirement$ ,
.' (b) Colleges and universitie.r shall provide the Office with a list of those students that have
matriculated tn New Jersey administrative preparation programs approved by the
Department prior to January 20, 2004: This ~ those srudents that
mmriculated in the approved programs in fall 2004 and spring 2005. The list of
students, shall be submltted to the' OfftC8 no later than March 31, 2005. Those candidates
must compiete all requirements. specified under jormer N.J.A.C. 6:11;.
9 by September 1,2007. 'Candidates that,do not complet~ all of~he requirements
sp~cified under former N.J.A..C. 6:11-9 by Septemb,er 1. 2007 shall fulfill the
requiremsnU
in this subchapter. . ..
.
..
What has been interpreted as an inconsi~tency is .that the students' ~est results on
the Educational Leadership: Adn:dnistration and Supecvision (BAS) test have not been
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A memorandum, dat~ August 10,'2004, ouilines the palicies al1d prOCedures in
the application of the new School Leaders Series of tests that became effective on
September 1, 200.4. The August memorandum indicated that the 9ffice would
accept the
EAS test to fulfill' the test requirement for those candid.a~es who have tak~n the
BAS test
www.nj.govleduc:ation
N= Jersey Is An Eqtllll" Opportul1 Uy Employer. Print~ on Rtcycled ~ Rccyclll~le Paper
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no 1ater than June 2005 and who have. completed aU requirements for certification no
later than August 31,2005.
Concerns have been raised that the polioy outlined in tho August. 10, 2004
memorandum. are inconsistent with the code citation a.t N.J.A.C~ 6A:9-12.1(b). It should
be noted that at no time has the test requir~eo.t. been a pan of the p~ogram approval
process. The .test requirement always bas been: a state certification requirement, not a
. program requirement.
While there is no inconsistency, there is confusion. I have considered the problems
that the August 10, 2004 policy may be causing the New Icrsey college programs who
have given advisement to students regardtilg the testing issues and have dis~sed this with.
Michael Klavon. director. Office of Licensure and Credentials. We agree that a fair
compromise is to allow students who fa]] under the grandfather in N.J.A.C. 6A:9-12.1(b)
who havo taken the EA.S test no later than ]tme 2005 and achieved a score of 540 or
higher, to use that score to satisfy the test requirement if they complete the approved
program and' arc recommended fot certification to the Office of Licensure and Credentials
no later than August 31, 2007.
issue.
Hopefully. this represents a fair and reasonable approach to the resolution of this
RCf:MKK.:ps:t.ostlapprowd prop."'" mat'O
c: Commissioner William L. Librera
Dwight Pfennig
Senior Staff
Jay Doolan
Michael Klavon
Brian Robinson
Lois Smith
Peggy Smith
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PO
Box 500 TRENTON, NJ 08625-0500
WILLIAM L. LIBRERA
Commissioner
JAMES E. MCGREEVEY
Governor .
To:
County Superintendents of Schools
From:
Joan E. Brady, Director
Office of Licensure and Credentials
Subject:
Educator Testing Pro gram
Policies and Procedures
Date:
August 10, 2004
As you are aware, in June 2004, the State Board of Education adopted a resolution to
increase passing scores on the tests that are required for certification, to adopt tests for the
new elementary school with subject matter specialization endorsements, and to adopt new
tests .for the principal and school administrator endorsements. The adopted resolutions
become effective on September 1,2004.
.
There have been many questions about the application of and timelines for these new
requirements. This memo provides an outline of the policies and procedures that apply to
the test requirement:
Increased Test Scores:
(1) Candidates who apply for certification either directly to the Office of Licensure and
Credentials or to the county offices of education whose applications are received in either
office September 1, 2004 or later, are subject to the new test scores, regardless of when
the test score was obtained. A candidate who tested as late at August 7, 2004 and
earned a score that would have been passing on August 7, 2004 but not as of September 1,
2004, and the application was received September 1, 2004 or later, will be subject to the
new passing score and will have to test again;
(2) Candidates who apply for certification either directly to the Office of Licensure and
Credentials or to the County offices of education whose applications are received in either
office by August 31, 2004, are fully eligible for the certificate and have already tested and
earned a score equivalent to or higher than the former passing score will have met the test
requirement;
(3) Candidates who apply for certification either directly to the Office of Licensure and
Credentials or to the county offices of education whose applications are received in either
www.nj.gov / education
New Jersey Is An Equal Opportunity Employer. Printed on Recycled and Recyclable Paper
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office by August 31, 2004 and are fully eligible for the certificate but have not yet tested
will have to meet the new passing score;
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(4) Candidates who apply for certification by August 31, 2004 and are not fully eligible for
the certificate, are subject to the new passing score. This is true even if they previously
tested and met the former passing score. If requirements are not completed and the
application for certificate is not submitted to the Office of Licensure and Credentials or the
county office of education before scores are raised again, the candidate
is subject to the scores in effect at the time of application.
'
Chart I which is attached, provides a visual guide for determining candidate satisfaction
of test score requirements.
'
New Middle School Tests:
All candidates applying for the elementary school with subject matter specialization
endorsements must pass the middle school 'tests or the required subject area content test.
All candidates for grades 5,- 8 world language endorsements must complete the Praxis
content knowledge test and the oral proficiency requirement.
New School Leaders Tests:
Effective September 1, 2004 the test requirement for the Principal Certificate of
Eligibility (CE) has been changed from the Educational Leadership: Administration and
Supervision Praxis II test to the School Leaders Series, School Leadership Licensure
Assessment (SLLA). The test requirement for the School Administrator Certificate of
Eligibility (CE) has been changed from the Educational Leadership: Administration and
Supervision Praxis IT test to the School Leaders Series, School Superintendents
Assessment (SSA).
'
Candidates for either the principal or school administrator CEs that have taken the
Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision Praxis II test prior to July 1,
2005 and received a passing score of 540 or higher, meet the test requirement as long as
they are fully eligible for certification. The candidate's application must be received no
later than August 31,2005.
Chart II which is attached, provides a visual guide for determining candidate satisfaction
of test requirements for school leaders.
jeb :testingpo liciesandprocedures
Enclosure
c.
Dwight Pfennig
Gloria Hancock
Richard Ten Eyck
Albert MonilIas J.
Michael Rush
Judith Weiss
Judith Cifone
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SERIES
PR
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ProfessionalAssessmenls for BeginningTeachers') Telephone:
(609) 771-7395
EXAMINEE ADDITIONAL SCORE REPORT
College Where Relevant Training Was Received:
Undergraduate Major: HISTORY
Graduate Major:
(I)
Educational level:
EARNED BACt£LOR'S
CREDITS
GPA:
HD.LIAH PATERSON .. IVERSITY
DEGREE
PLUS
ADDITIONAL
3.0 - 3.49
CHARLES
A FERRER
421 EAST 33RD STREET APT 2
PATERSON
N.J 07504
1701
Test
Date
01/15/2000
03/04/1995
Test
Code
0410
0510
Test Name
ED LEADERSHIP ADMIN AND SUPERVISION
Your
Highest
Score
590
653
600
GENERAL KNOHL.EDGE
Score, will be available for reporting for ten yea,.,.
Refer to enclosed Interpretive leaflet for additional Information.
Possible
Score
Range
250
990
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-
Score Recipient CodeCs)
695
MESSAGE CODES
I
INFORMATION NOT PROVIDED OR INCORRECTLV GRIDDED.
2j"J Copyrl,ht . 18ft by Educ8ll0nal T88tlnt Servlc.. All rI,lIte ................. IWeI. EDUCATIONAl. TESTING SERVICE, ETS, the ETS 1080, .nd THE PRAXIS SERIES: PROFESSIONAl. ASSESSMENTS I!!a
FOR BEGINNING TEACHERS .nd 118 1080 .,. ..,I818m tnd.marb or Educ8llonal T.ltlnt S.rvlc.. The mod.mlzed ETS 1080 I. . tred.lNlrk or Educ8llonal T88tlnt
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5101U-15530.PXEAFf .08130'11
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCA llON PO Box 500
TRENTON, NJ 08625.Q500
LUOLLEE. DAVY
Commissioller
JON S. CORZINE
Govemor
10/2212007
Mr. Charles Ferrer Sr.
74 WEST HALEDON AVE.
Haledon, NJ 07508
TR#
130094
County: Passaic
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR
An evaluation of your credentials has been completed for school administrator certification. To qualify for the
school administrator certificate of eligibility (CE) you will need to present evidence of meeting the following
requirements:
Master's Degree Requirement
. Completed.
Required Graduate Study
. Completed.
Test Requirement
. Not completed - Please contact Education Testing Service (ETS) to register for the School Superintendent
Assessment (SSA, # II 020). You must request to have your score sent to New Jersey by coding
R7666. You must also include your social security number when completing your answer sheet. Only
official score reports sent directly from ETS are accepted for certification. Not coding the NJ Dept. of
Education (R7666) or listing your social security number may delay certificate issuance.
To qualify for the standard school administrator's license, the following requirements must be met after a CE
has been issued:
Offer of Employment
. An offer of employment in a position requiring the school administrator endorsement in a school or
district which has agreed to sponsor the principal residency.
Residency Program
. Satisfactory completion of the school administrator residency program under provisional certification.
.
COMMENTS
.
It is your responsibility and to your advantage to review the specific requirements for your sought area of certification
in the New Jersey Licensing! Code (NJ.A.C. 6A:9). which mav be found at www.ni.gov/nidcd/cducatorslliccnscl.
TO A VOID DELAYS: When ALL requirements are met. Please submit ALL necessary documentation together in a
single packet with a CODY of this letter to the attention of your examiner as named below. If possible. please have
transcripts sent to YOU first and then forward them in the sealed envelope(s) together with any other documents. If a
fee has been charged. Please submit the balance with a money order or certified check made out to the Commissioner of
Education. Please be advised that all fees. including! money left on file, are nonrefundable.
Examiner:
THIS EV ALVA TION IS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT. REQUIREMENTS, PASSING TEST SCORES, AND FEES ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
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April 29, 2008
To: The Commissioner of Education
From: Lauren Chavis-Ferrer and Charles A. Ferrer Sr.
Re: Supervisory and Administrative Certification
We are writing this letter to you to make you aware that we were denied our supervisors
certification from the State of New Jersey. When I spoke to Heather Hice, she told me we
needed six more credits in supervisory or curriculum courses. When I explained to her that my
mends have the same amount of credits we do and they were given their certificates, she told me
that Grand Canyon did not have enough courses and that we need to look at the University of
Phoenix or a school in NJ to get six more credits.
Well, we have done our research. University of Phoenix has the same courses as Grand Canyon
University which is also an approved University by the Paterson Board of Education and the
Department of Education. Secondly, our mend was offered her supervisory and administrative
certificate and she attended the University of Scranton. She also has the same amount of credits
and courses in which we both have taken and she was awarded her supervisors certificate.
We have also submitted our paperwork for our administrator's certification. I am waiting for my
paperwork to go through since I have just taken the state test in January, but the state is saying
that my husband has to retake the test because of the changes the state has done with the test.
Charles took his test awhile ago. According to ETS, test scores are good for ten years. . If ETS'
scores are good for ten years, people should not be penalized because the state has decided to
change the test.
According to a representative at the NJ Department of Education, my husband was told that if
he did his course work through a State of NJ University he would be grandfathered in. A
university is a university. As long as you do the coursework and take the test you should be
given the certificate you are entitled to.
Attached are copies of the paperwork that was submitted plus the paperwork that we
researched. Please contact us at 201-522-4022.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Yours in education,
Lauren and Charles Ferrer
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~tate at ~efu Jersev
DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
PO Box 500
TRENTON, NJ 08625-0500
JON S. CORZINE
Governor
LUCILLE E. DAVY
Commissioner
May 23, 2008
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Ferrer
74 West Haledon Avenue
Haledon, NJ 07508
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ferrer:
This is in response to your recent letter questioning the denial of your applications
for supervisor certifications.
You each completed the Educational Administration
program at Grand Canyon University but were denied the supervisor certificate because
you did not have a curriculum development elective course and another elective course in
either curriculum or supervision. In your letter to me, you raised the question of why such
courses at the University of Phoenix and the University of Scranton would be acceptable
but not similar courses at Grand Canyon University.
Please note that these three programs are similar, but when the department reviews
credentials for applicants who have not completed New Jersey approved programs, we
must do a course-by-course evaluation. This means that we accept courses based on course
-descriptions and course syllabi. In this case, the courses that you took at
Grand Canyon may have similar titles to those at University of Phoenix and University of
Scranton, but the course content, according to the course descriptions, does not match our
code requirements. Therefore, the denial of your supervisor certificates will remain in
effect. You can remedy this deficiency by completing the Phoenix courses, or courses at
another institution which we could review for you in advance. Alternately, you may appeal
to the Board of Examiners by written request to:
Dr. Robert Higgins, Secretary
State Board of Examiners
New Jersey Department of Education
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
www.nj.gov/education
New Jersey Is An Equal Opportunity Employer. Printed on Recycled and Recyclable Paper
You also inquired about the Praxis test for the school administrator certificate. You
took the former test in January 2000, but the education leadership tests changed in New
Jersey in 2004. Grandfathering for the old tests was provided for both in and out-of-state
applicants for a limited period of time under the new code.
However, you applied for the school administrator certificate after the
grandfathering period had expired, and applicants must meet the rules that are in effect at
the time that their application is completed. Your letter states that Educational Testing
Services (ETS) told you that test scores are good for ten years. Such scores are indeed kept
on file at ETS for ten years, but this does not mean that they are the appropriate test
required for each individual state. The ETS statement means only that ETS regards the
scores as valid for ten years, after which they are discarded. The ETS statement has no
bearing on our code requirements.
I hope that this answers your questions and that you will persist in obtaining your
certifications. Please feel free to contact your examiner with any questions you might have
about qualifying courses through Licensing.Requests@doe.state.ni.us. (Please note that
there is a "dot" between "Licensing" and "Requests.")
Sincerely,
~~~
LED/JD/CP/RH/sdcCommr Corres/Ferrers I.doc
Willa Spicer
Jay Doolan
Cathy Pine
Robert Higgins
c:
Lucille E. Davy
Commissioner
~
74 West Haledon Avenue
Haledon, New Jersey 07508
July 18, 2008
Dr. Robert Hi~ Secretary
State Board of Examiners
New Jersey Department of Education
P. O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Re: Charles A Ferrer Sr.
Dear Dr. Higgins:
This letter is being written to you as a formal appeal from the decision rendered by Commissioner
Lucille E. Davy on May 23, 2008.
In Commissioner Davy's letter, she made some statements that to my understanding are contradictory
to written policy. First of all, she stated the department reviews credentials of applicants who have not
completed New Jersey approved programs by doing a course-by-course evaluation. I completed my
degree program at Grand Canyon University, which is a New Jersey approved program. This university
meets the criteria outlined in your Licensing Code as stated on pp. 223-224.
In May 2007, I obtained a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon
University. The North Central Association (NCA), one of the six regions recognized by the New
Jersey Department of Education, accredits Grand Canyon University.
Through conversations with ETS, test scores are kept on file for ten years. There are two different
administrators tests. The code # 0410 I took and the new code # 1 01 O. Both tests are still valid for
administrator
licensure.. There is no statute of limitations anywhere stated in the State of New Jersey policies. As
stated by Commissioner Davy, I applied for my school administrator certificate after the
grandfathering period. When was that period? According to Commissioner Davy, applicants must
meet the roles that are in effect at the time that their application is completed. Where are those roles
posted? How can applicants meet the roles if they do not know where to fmd the roles or what the
roles state. My test scores where on file with the state since 2000. I should have been notified that I
needed to complete my studies within the grandfathering time period. I have not obtained any such
letter nor did the district let their employees know of such a policy.
It appears to be undo preference in my situation when your own employees are not following
procedures printed on the website. There is nothing that states that the State of New Jersey approves
programs and courses on a course- by - course evaluation. The Paterson district introduced Grand
Canyon University to its employees. The school is accredited and is an approved school by the State of
New Jersey but yet there is a prejudice and bias when it suggested that you finish your course work
with the University of Phoenix.
At the beginning of pursuing this administrative degree, I inquired with the State Department of
Education as to whether Grand Canyon University and Phoenix University where approved online
programs. I was informed by the State Department of Education that both universities met state
guidelines. Since I have researched my predicament, I am requesting to be reimbursed for fees I
submitted for my supervisor's certificate since under your guidelines holding an administrators license
affords me the opportunity to be a supervisor of curriculum or assistant superintendent.
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In closing, I am requesting that my administrative certificates be issued under the same guidelines used
during the grandfathering period of the old test I was told that if had completed my course work in the
State of New Jersey, I would have been grandfathered and issued my administrative certificate without
any complications. Regardless of where I completed my studies, the university I attended is accredited
and is one of the six regions recognized by the New Jersey Department of Education and I should not
be penalized for attending a university because it was not in the State of New Jersey. If you need to
contact me, I can be reached at 201-522-4022.
Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter. I remain,
Very truly yours,
Charles A. Ferrer, Sr.
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