STATE OF FLORIDA EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION PAM STEWART, as Commissioner of Education, Petitioner, vs. CASE NO. 167-0042 CARLA G. THEDFORD, Respondent. / ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint against CARLA G. THEDFORD. 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 840854, covering the areas of Elementary Education, Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum, Gifted and Exceptional Student Education, which is valid through June 30, 2017. 2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Second Grade Teacher at Waller Elementary School in the Bay County School District. MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS 3. During the 2015-2016 school year, the Bay County School District administered the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment to students. The results for the Reading and Math MAP assessment for students in kindergarten through second grade were used to monitor student progress and to calculate teachers’ value added measurement (VAM) which is part of teachers’ evaluation score. CARLA G. THEDFORD Administrative Complaint Page 2 of 3 4. On or about August 28, 2015, Respondent signed a Map Test Security Agreement whereby she agreed to refrain from “activities that may threaten the integrity of the test,” including: a) Explaining or reading passages or test items for students; b) Changing or otherwise interfering with student responses; and c) Causing achievement of schools to be inaccurately measured or reported. 5. On or about May 13, 2016, Respondent administered the MAP assessment to her second grade students. During the test, Respondent coached her students by reminding students of various strategies for answering questions, including: a) Telling a student to use the “root word strategy” to decipher the meaning of a word on the test; b) Telling students to cover up portions of words on the test to help find the meaning of unknown words; and c) Reminding students to reread questions carefully to find text evidence to support their answer choices. The Petitioner charges: STATUTE VIOLATIONS COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)@), 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 2: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A- 10.081(2)(a)1, 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 3: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A- 10.081(2)(b)3, Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has used institutional privileges CARLA G. THEDFORD Administrative Complaint Page 3 of 3 for personal gain or advantage. COUNT 4: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A- 10.081(2)(c)1, Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in all professional dealings. 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 2 combination of the foliowing: 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 / BL day of 77 ALA , 2017. a, PAM STEWART, as Commissioner of Education State of Florida

Docket for Case No: 17-005377PL