Teacher Certification & PPAC
TEACHER CERTIFICATION
For Teacher Certification please visit the Arizona Department of Education's Certification Unit at the following link:
Individuals seeking to appeal the denial of their certificate may fill out the packet below and submit it to 1700 W Washington Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85007 or [email protected] within 15 days of receipt of denial.
For information regarding the State Board of Education's discipline process, see below.
Educator Oversight and Discipline
The Board rules in Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.), Title 7, Chapter 2, Articles 7 and 13, provide for the adjudication of disciplinary issues and regulation of the conduct of educators.
The Board is responsible for imposing “such disciplinary action including the issuance of a letter of censure, suspension, suspension with conditions or revocation of a certificate, upon a finding of immoral or unprofessional conduct” pursuant to A.R.S. §§ 15-203(A)(14)and 15-203(A)(20). The Board’s rules provide that certificate holders who violate any provision of A.A.C. R7-2-1308 are deemed to have engaged in immoral or unprofessional conduct and may be disciplined by the Board.
Reports of unprofessional conduct should initially be directed toward the Arizona Department of Education's Investigative Unit.
What is the PPAC?
The Professional Practices Advisory Committee (PPAC), a Committee of the Arizona State Board of Education, is responsible for conducting hearings on certificated invidiuals to which allegations of immoral and/or unprofessional conduct have been made. The PPAC is comprised of two alternating groups of seven members. At each PPAC meeting, the Committee may review applications for initial certification, renewals of certification, and conduct hearings on complaints filed against existing certified individuals. After each case is heard, members make findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation to the Board to approve or deny an application for certification; or in the case of a complaint hearing, make a recommendation regarding whether the Board should impose discipline on a certificate.
If you have been scheduled for a PPAC hearing, information on what to expect at the hearing can be found in the Guidelines for PPAC Respondents or Applicants
Additional Exhibits
In any contested case where a Respondent/Applicant does choose to submit additional exhibits that were not included in the original documentation, either from the State or from the Respondent/Applicant, such documents will be distributed to the hearing officer and members of the PPAC on the day of the hearing. Board staff requests Respondent/Applicant to supply 10 copies of each additional exhibit to be distributed to the PPAC members, and other necessary parites.
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
Respondent/Applicant or Representing Counsel may prepare their own Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law to present to the PPAC. Findings of Fact typically detail each fact of a case, as well as any aggravating or mitigating factors. Conclusions of law cites statutes or administrative codes pertaining to the Board's authority to oversee the discipline process, and the grounds to which disciplinary recommendations are made.
Recommendations
Recommendations resulting from PPAC meetings are presented to the Arizona State Board of Education for approval. Ultimately, the Board makes the decision to accept, reject, or modify the PPAC's recommendation.
Outcomes
Outcomes of any contested cases are officially detailed in a "Board Order" and sent to the Respondent/Applicant or Representing Counsel after the Board meeting has taken place. In addition to this correspondence, the outcomes of discipline cases are also searchable using this tool.
Resources for Certificated individuals facing discipline
A.R.S. 41-1093.05 Notice
Pursuant to section 41-1093.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, an agency shall limit all occupational regulations to regulations that are demonstrated to be necessary to specifically fulfill a public health, safety or welfare concern. Pursuant to sections 41-1093.02 and 41-1093.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, you have the right to petition this agency to repeal or modify the occupational regulation or bring an action in a court of general jurisdiction to challenge the occupational regulation and to ensure compliance with section 41-1093.01, Arizona Revised Statutes.
