Arizona Teacher Certificate Discipline Options | Education Disciplinary Action
What are the Arizona teaching certificate disciplinary options with the Arizona Board of Education?
So, you are an educator here in Arizona and likely hold a certificate from the Arizona Board of Education. Any instances of immoral or unprofessional conduct defined by statute and regulation can mean anything from breaking your teaching contract. There is a broad overview of a DUI outside the classroom. There is also being impaired while teaching under alcohol or drug influence. And unprofessional conduct with students’ communication inside or outside school.
And it’s broken down in the discipline guidelines the board has published. But with all of you, you have a couple of different options.
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Negotiation of Settlement Agreement Regarding Immoral or Unprofessional Misconduct
Let’s say a complaint of immoral or improper behavior triggers an investigation. In that case, you can negotiate a settlement deal to agree on the license discipline the committee will apply. If you can test this, there will be a hearing before the professional practices advisory committee, and they will make findings of fact and conclusions of law.
They’ll use those guidelines for appropriate discipline against your license. So, let’s talk about those a little. An investigation will bring four main types of discipline against your license.
Four Types of Discipline Information
So, the first one is a letter of a cent. It is a public discipline, so it’s searchable. And there will be the finding of facts and conclusions of law on the circumstances regarding your discipline.
Next is a suspension. Your license could be suspended anywhere from one to three years. Again, it would help if you looked at the guidelines the board has published.
And then there’s suspension with conditions. Those conditions might be any counseling or rehabilitation program—things like that. But it’ll specify in the actual discipline what needs to happen and what you must complete.
And then lastly, there’s revocation, which means revocation of your license. So, you will not be able to hold a teaching certificate in Arizona. They will take away your license.
So, there are just four broad categories. The suspension can be for different periods in the conditions.
There may be things to consider that you must comply with before they lift the suspension with these discipline guidelines. And the types or the options of discipline the board or the professional practices.
An advisory committee will also consider any aggravating circumstances. These are things that are going to count against you. So, this is prior discipline, especially if it’s a similar act or mitigating circumstances that may help your case. If you’re new to the profession, you didn’t know certain things that may help your case that the board would consider.
However, there are only those four categories of discipline. Of course, if they dismiss the complaint, there will be no discipline. That would be the best outcome.
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