STATE OF FLORIDA EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION RICHARD CORCORAN, as Commissioner of Education, Petitioner, vs. CASE NO. 190-0218 CATHERINE WEAVER LEDGER, Respondent. ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT Petitioner, Richard Corcoran, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint against CATHERINE WEAVER LEDGER. 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 761488, covering the areas of Elementary Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which is valid through June 30, 2023. 2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Fifth Grade Teacher at South Daytona Elementary School in the Volusia County School District. MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS 3. On or about February 7, 2019, Respondent engaged in inappropriate conduct when she grabbed a $B crade aged lil student, by the collar and dragged Po Wiseat. 4. On or about April 9, 2019, Respondent signed the Florida Department of Education’s 2018-2019 Test Administration and Security Agreement and its 2018-2019 Test Administrator Prohibited Activities Agreement, whereby she agreed that when administering state wide assessments, she would refrain from: Probable Cause Letter and Administrative Complaint.-2 CATHERINE WEAVER LEDGER Administrative Complaint Page 2 of 3 a, Displaying or failing to cover visual aids that may help students. b. Causing achievement of schools to be inaccurately reported. 5. Despite having signed the Florida Department of Education’s 2018-2019 Test Administration and Security Agreement, and its 2018-2019 Test Administrator Prohibited Activities Agreement, before administering the fifth grade Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) Math test on or about May 6, 2019, Respondent provided assistance to students, including: a. Displaying or failing to cover visual aids that may help students. 6. As a result of Respondent’s conduct alleged in paragraph 5 herein, all students who took the FSA Math test with Respondent that day had their tests invalidated. The Petitioner charges: STATUTE VIOLATIONS COUNT 1: 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 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. (SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE) Probable Cause Letter and Administrative Complaint.-3 CATHERINE WEAVER LEDGER Administrative Complaint Page 3 of 3 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 1.0) day of __(Y lay , 2020, RICHARD CORCORAN, as Commissioner of Education State of Florida Probable Cause Letter and Administrative Complaint.-4

Docket for Case No: 21-000015PL