Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: LOVELY GOODMAN
Judges: F. SCOTT BOYD
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Filed: Aug. 09, 2018
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.
Latest Update: Dec. 25, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 145-2863
LOVELY GOODMAN,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against LOVELY GOODMAN. 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 842052, covering the area of
Guidance and Counseling, which is valid through June 30, 2018.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Guidance
Counselor at Northeast High School in the Broward County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. In or around the years 2011-2013, Respondent failed to follow Broward County
School District (District) policy for grade changes made through “grade averaging.” District
policy 6000.1 (policy) for grade averaging, in accordance with section 1003.436, Florida
Statutes, provides in pertinent part:
a. Starting in 2009-10, for the purpose of graduation, grade averaging of the two semesters
for a year-long course will be permitted when one is a failing grade and the other grade
is a C or higher.
LOVELY GOODMAN
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
b. A student enrolled in a full-year course shall receive one-half credit if the student
successfully completes either the first half or the second half of a full-year course but
fails to successfully complete the other half of the course and the averaging of the grades
obtained in each half would not result in a passing grade.
c. A student enrolled in a full year course shall receive full credit if the student successfully
completes either the first half or the second half of a full-year course but fails to
successfully complete the other half and the averaging of the grades obtained would
result in a passing grade, provided that the student receives a grade of C or better on the
final examination in the semester failed and meets District policies for attendance
(applied to the class in question for the purpose of grade averaging), homework,
participation and other indicators of performance.
4. Given Respondent was employed as a Guidance Counselor at all times relevant
hereto, she was responsible for knowing and following the District policy and Florida law.
Despite having known or should have known the District policy and Florida law, Respondent
inappropriately applied grade averaging to over 50 final grades for students when she failed to
ensure that the students met the District’s attendance requirements or received a grade of C or
better on the final exam in order to be eligible for grade averaging.
5. Some of the students whose grades were inappropriately grade averaged by
Respondent graduated from high school with a standard diploma when they would not have met
the requirements for graduation without the inappropriate grade averaging,
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)(g), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been found guilty of personal conduct which seriously reduces
effectiveness as an employee of the school board.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)q), 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(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.
LOVELY GOODMAN
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 3
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.
COUNT 5: The Respondent is in violation of Rule 6A-10.081(2)(c)8, Florida
Administrative Code, in that Respondent has submitted fraudulent information on a document in
connection with professional activities.
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 onthis (6™ dayor March 2018.
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PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 18-004184PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 24, 2018 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Oct. 24, 2018 |
Unopposed Motion to Close File filed.
|
Oct. 03, 2018 |
Order Granting Continuance and Rescheduling Hearing (hearing set for October 31 and November 1, 2018; 9:00 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL).
|
Oct. 02, 2018 |
Joint Motion to Continue Final Hearing filed.
|
Sep. 28, 2018 |
Return of Service filed.
|
Sep. 19, 2018 |
Amended Notice of Hearing (hearing set for October 10 and 11, 2018; 9:00 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL; amended as to hearing location).
|
Aug. 29, 2018 |
Notice of Service of First Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
|
Aug. 29, 2018 |
Notice of Production from Non-party filed.
|
Aug. 29, 2018 |
Request to Produce filed.
|
Aug. 23, 2018 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Aug. 23, 2018 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for October 10 and 11, 2018; 9:00 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL).
|
Aug. 23, 2018 |
Agreed upon Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Aug. 10, 2018 |
Initial Order.
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Aug. 09, 2018 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Aug. 09, 2018 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Aug. 09, 2018 |
Agency referral filed.
|