Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: DORA AVILES
Judges: LISA SHEARER NELSON
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Jacksonville, Florida
Filed: Feb. 09, 2016
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
Latest Update: Mar. 14, 2025
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
v8. CASE NO, 134-3353
DORA AVILES,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against DORA AVILES. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary sanction of
the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant to sections 1012.315, 1012.795, and. 1012.796,
Florida Statutes, and pursuant to Rule 6A-10.081, Florida Administrative Code, Principles of
Professional Conduct for the Education Profession. in Florida, said sanctions specifically 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 1164984, covering the areas
of Elementary Education and Reading, which was valid through June 30, 2015.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
2. On or about April 11, 2014, Respondent’s New York teaching certificate was
revoked and her application for certification was denied by the New York Commissioner of
Education for inappropriate behavior and/or contact with male students in September 2008 and
February 2011.
a
3. On or about July 9, 2014, Respondent submitted an updated employment
application to Duval County Schools. Respondent fraudulently answered ‘no’ in response to the
following question on the application:
“Fave you ever been denied a teaching certificate anywhere or had a teaching certificate
revoked or suspended, or had sanctions placed on your teaching certificate?”
DORA AVILES
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
4. On or about April 30, 2015, Respondent submitted an application for renewal of
her Florida Educator’s Certificate to the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator
Certification. In answer to the question; Have you ever had a professional license or certificate
sanctioned in this state or any other state?, Respondent entered, “No.” In answer to the question;
Have you ever had a professional license or certificate suspended or revoked in this or any other
state?, Respondent entered, “No.” Respondent’s failure to acknowledge her New York
disciplinary history, was in conflict with her statement on the application that all information
provided was true, accurate and complete.
5. On or about July 24, 2015, Respondent submitted an application for an Initial
Florida Educator Certificate to the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator
Certification. In answer to the question; Have you ever had a professional license or certificate
sanctioned in this state or any other state?, Respondent entered, “No.” In answer to the question;
Have you ever had a professional license or certificate suspended or revoked in this or any other
state?, Respondent entered, “No.” Respondent’s failure to acknowledge her New York
disciplinary history, was in conflict with her statement on the application that all information
provided was true, accurate and complete.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)(e), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has had an educator certificate sanctioned by revocation, suspension, or
surrender in another state.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)G), 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 3: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10,081(4)(b), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally distorted or
misrepresented facts concerning an educational matter in direct or indirect public expression.
COUNT 4: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in
all professional dealings.
COUNT 5: The Respondent is in violation of Rule 6A-10.081(5)G), Florida
Administrative Code, in that Respondent made a fraudulent statement or failed to disclose a
material fact in her own or another’s application for a professional position.
DORA AVILES
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of3
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 written 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; determining the Respondent to be ineligible for
certification; or barring the Respondent from reapplying for an educator’s certificate for a period
of time up to 10 years or permanently.
EXECUTED on this 25® day of August , 2015,
wt.
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 16-000684PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jul. 14, 2016 |
(Respondent's) Documents for Hearing filed (exhibits not available for viewing).
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Mar. 30, 2016 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
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Mar. 29, 2016 |
Respondent's Proposed Exhibits filed (exhibits not available for viewing). |
Mar. 29, 2016 |
Petitioner's Witness List filed.
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Mar. 29, 2016 |
Respondent's Witness List filed.
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Mar. 28, 2016 |
Petitioner's Notice of Respondent's Failure to Comply with Order of the Administrative Law Judge filed.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
Notice of Ex-parte Communication.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
Teaching Catapult Academy Summer Pilot Program filed by Respondent (not available for viewing). 
 Confidential document; not available for viewing. |
Mar. 25, 2016 |
List of Student Witnesses filed by Respondent (not available for viewing). 
 Confidential document; not available for viewing. |
Mar. 25, 2016 |
List of Student Witnesses filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
NYS Panel Representative Request filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
Hardship Letter During Transition filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
NYS Rebuttal filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
NYS OSI Investigation filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 25, 2016 |
New Requirements for Professional Certificate Renewal and Reinstatement filed by Respondent.
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Mar. 21, 2016 |
Petitioner's Exhibit List filed.
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Mar. 21, 2016 |
Petitioner's Witness List filed.
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Mar. 21, 2016 |
Order.
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Mar. 21, 2016 |
Petitioner's Request for Judicial Recognition of Official Records of the New York State Education Department filed.
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Mar. 18, 2016 |
CASE STATUS: Pre-Hearing Conference Held. |
Mar. 14, 2016 |
Letter to Judge Nelson from Dora Aviles regarding not able to attend deposition filed.
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Mar. 14, 2016 |
Petitioner's Motion to Deem Facts Admitted and Relinquish Jurisdiction to the Education Practices Commission filed.
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Mar. 04, 2016 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (Dora Aviles) filed.
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Feb. 22, 2016 |
Notice of Telephonic Pre-hearing Conference (set for March 18, 2016; 10:00 a.m.).
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Feb. 22, 2016 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Feb. 22, 2016 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for April 8, 2016; 9:30 a.m.; Jacksonville and Tallahassee, FL).
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Feb. 11, 2016 |
Certificate of Service of Discovery filed.
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Feb. 11, 2016 |
Petitioner's Response to Initial Order filed.
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Feb. 10, 2016 |
Initial Order.
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Feb. 09, 2016 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Feb. 09, 2016 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Feb. 09, 2016 |
Agency referral filed.
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