Petitioner: JEANINE BLOMBERG, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: LATONYA LATREECE COOPER
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Filed: Dec. 13, 2007
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, January 29, 2008.
Latest Update: Dec. 23, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
JEANINE BLOMBERG, as Ot SUT pL
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 056-3745-F
LATONYA LATREECE COOPER,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Jeanine Blomberg, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against LATONYA LATREECE COOPER. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate
disciplinary sanction of the Respondent's educator’s certificate pursuant to Sections 1012.795 and
1012.796, Florida Statutes, and pursuant to Rule 6B-1.006, Florida Administrative Code, Principles
of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida, said sanctions spevifically set forth
in Sections 1012.795(1) and 1012.796(7), Florida Statutes.
The Petitioner alleges:
JURISDICTION
1, ‘The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 838005, covering the areas of
Elementary Education and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which is valid through
June 30, 2011.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Curriculum
Specialist at Lauderdale Manors Elementary School in the Broward County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. During the Spring 2006 administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment
Test (FCAT), Respondent failed to administer the test in a manner that would preserve the integrity
of the test and to insure that all students worked independently. Respondent's assistance included
but was not limited to reading materials 10 students and providing clues to answers. On or about
May 25, 2006, the Florida Department of Education, Assessment and School Performance,
Accountability, Rescarch and Measurement, invalidated the scores of 13 students whose lests had
LATONYA LATREECE COOPER
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 4
been administered by Respondent.
4, On or about June 29, 2006, Respondent was notified that a case had becn opened
against her by the Burean of Professional Practices Services in the Florida Department of Education
as the result of allegations of standardized testing violations. Respondent was informed that the
allegations could lead to discipline up to and including permanent revocation of her Florida
Educator’s Certificate. On or about June 13, 2007, Respondent submitted a district employment
application on which she answered ‘no’ to question 16; ‘Is disciplinary action currently pending
anywhere against your teaching certificate?’
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATI
COUNT1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1008,24(1), Florida Statutes, in that
Respondent knowingly and willfully violated test security rules adopted by the State Board of
Education for mandatory tests administcred by or through the State Board of Education or the
Commissioner of Education to students, educators, or applicants for certification or administered by
school districts pursuant to s. 1008.22.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1008.24(1)(c), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent coached during testing; interfored with examine responses.
COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1008.24(1)(f), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent knowingly and willfully failed to follow test administration directions specified
in the test administration manuals.
COUNT 4: ‘The Respondent is in violation of Section 1008.24(1 }(g), Florida Statutes, in
that Respondent participated in, directed, aided, counseled, assisted in, or encouraged any of the acts
prohibited in this section.
COUNT 5: — The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(c), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been guilty of gross immorality or an act involving moral turpitude.
COUNT 6: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1 (i), Florida Statutes, in
that Respondent has violated the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession
prescribed by State Board of Education rules.
RULE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 7: The allegation of misconduct set forth are herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.042(1), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent failed to maintain/administer test in a
LATONYA LATREECE COOPER
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 4
manner to preserve test integrity.
COUNTS; The allegation of misconduct set forth are herein arc in violation of Rule 6A-
10.042(1)(c), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent assisted cxaminees in answering
questions,
COUNTS: The allegation of misconduct set forth are herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.042(1}(d), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent interfered with cxaminees' answers
while administering test.
COUNT 10: The allegation of misconduct set forth are herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.042(1)(), Florida Administrative Codec, in that Respondent has participated in, directed, aided
counseled, assisted in, or encouraged an activity which could result in the inaccurate measurement
or reporting of examinees’ achievement.
COUNT 11: The allegations of misconduct sct forth herein are in violation of Rule 6R-
1.006(3)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to make reasonable effort
to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental health
and/or physical health and/or safety.
COUNT 12: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein arc in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(3)¢b), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has unreasonably restrained a student
from independent action in pursuit of learning.
COUNT 13: The allegations of misconduct set forth hercin are in violation of Rule 6B-
J,006(3)(d), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally suppressed or
distorted subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program.
COUNT 14: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1,006(3)(e), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally exposed a student to
unnecessary cmbarrassment or disparagement.
COUNT 15: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1,006(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in all
professional dealings.
COUNT 16: The Respondent is in violation of Rule 6B..1006(5)(i), Florida Administrative
Code, in that Respondent made a fraudulent statement or failcd to disclose a material fact in one’s
own or another’s application for a professional position.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
LATONYA LATREECE COOPER
Administrative Complaint
Page 4 of 4
WHEREFORE, based on the reasons set forth herein and in accordance with the
Explanation of Rights and Election of Rights forms attached to and made a part of this
Administrative Complaint, Petitioner respectfully recommends that the Education Practices
Commission impose an appropriate sanction against the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant
to the authority provided in Sections 1012,795(1) and 1012.796(7), Florida Statutes. The sanctions
imposed by the Education Practices Commission may include, but are not limited to, any one or a
combination of the following: issuing the Respondent a writtcn reprimand; placing the Respondent
on probation for any period of time; restricting the Respondent’s authorized scope of practice;
assessing the Respondent an administrative fine; directing the Respondent to enroll in the Recovery
Network Program; suspending the Respondent's educator’s certificate for a period of time not to
exceed five years; revoking the Respondent’s educator’s certificate for a period of time up to 10
years or permanently; or barring the Respondent from reapplying for an educator’s certificate for a
period of time up to 10 years or permanenily.
EXECUTED on this. \Le day of Val “ , 2007.
ANINE BLOMBERG, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 07-005671PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jan. 30, 2008 |
Undeliverable envelope returned from the Post Office.
|
Jan. 29, 2008 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jan. 28, 2008 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
|
Jan. 25, 2008 |
Respondent`s Responses to Petitioner`s First Request for Admissions filed.
|
Jan. 25, 2008 |
Respondent`s Response to Petitioner`s First Request for Production of Documents filed.
|
Jan. 22, 2008 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing (hearing set for March 27 and 28, 2008; 9:30 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL).
|
Jan. 16, 2008 |
Petitioner`s Unopposed Motion to Reschedule Hearing filed.
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Jan. 03, 2008 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Jan. 03, 2008 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for February 14 and 15, 2008; 9:30 a.m.; Lauderdale Lakes and Tallahassee, FL).
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Dec. 21, 2007 |
Notice of Service (First Request for Production of Documents) filed.
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Dec. 21, 2007 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s Request for Production to Respondent filed.
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Dec. 21, 2007 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
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Dec. 21, 2007 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent filed.
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Dec. 20, 2007 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
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Dec. 13, 2007 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Dec. 13, 2007 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Dec. 13, 2007 |
Letter to K. Richards from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
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Dec. 13, 2007 |
Agency referral filed.
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Dec. 13, 2007 |
Initial Order.
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