DAR File No. 40430

Education, Administration

Rule R277-216

Surrender of License with UPPAC Investigation Pending

Notice of Proposed Rule

(New Rule)

DAR File No.: 40430
Filed: 05/16/2016 04:55:00 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This new rule provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license permanently rather than participate in the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC)'s investigatory process for allegations of misconduct. The rule provides procedures for an educator to submit a petition to UPPAC for submission to the Board to request surrender of the educator's license instead of proceeding with a UPPAC investigation.

Summary of the rule or change:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to submit a petition requesting voluntary surrender of the educator's license to UPPAC for submission to the Board with UPPAC investigation pending; provides reporting requirements upon an educator's surrender of the educator's license; and implications to the educator's voluntarily surrender of the educator's license.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Art X, Sec 3
• Section 53A-1-401
• Section 53A-6-306

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license with a UPPAC investigation pending, which may result in a savings to the state budget because investigative resources would not need to be spent on uncontested matters. Any savings are too speculative to determine at this time.

local governments:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license with a UPPAC investigation pending, which likely will not result in a cost or savings to local government.

small businesses:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license with a UPPAC investigation pending, which likely will not result in a cost or savings to small businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license with a UPPAC investigation pending, which likely will not result in a cost or savings to persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

This new Rule R277-216 provides procedures for an educator to surrender the educator's license with a UPPAC investigation pending, which likely will not result in any compliance costs for affected persons.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

To the best of my knowledge, there should be no fiscal impact on businesses resulting from this new rule.

Sydnee Dickson, Interim State Superintendent

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Angela Stallings at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7656, by FAX at 801-538-7768, or by Internet E-mail at angie.stallings@schools.utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/01/2016

This rule may become effective on:

07/08/2016

Authorized by:

Angela Stallings, Associate Superintendent, Policy and Communication

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-216. Surrender of License with UPPAC Investigation Pending.

R277-216-1. Authority and Purpose.

(1) This rule is authorized by:

(a) Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3, which vests general control and supervision over public education in the Board;

(b) Section 53A-6-306, which directs the Board to adopt rules regarding UPPAC duties and procedures; and

(c) Section 53A-1-401, which allows the Board to make rules to execute the Board's duties and responsibilities under the Utah Constitution and state law.

(2) The purpose of this rule is to establish procedures for Board consideration of an educator request to surrender a license in the face of a UPPAC investigation.

(3) The standards and procedures of the Utah Administrative Procedures Act do not apply to this rule under the exemption of Subsection 63G-4-102(2)(d).

 

R277-216-2. Petition to Surrender.

(1) An educator may surrender an educator license prior to the resolution of a UPPAC investigation.

(2) An educator who requests to surrender an educator license under Subsection (1), shall submit a petition or stipulated agreement to UPPAC for submission to the Board, which shall include:

(a) a brief statement of the procedural history of the investigation leading up to the voluntary surrender;

(b) a statement that the educator is entitled to due process in UPPAC's investigation and that the educator freely and voluntarily waives the educator's due process rights, including:

(i) a right to a hearing;

(ii) a right to confront and cross examine witnesses;

(iii) a right to present witnesses;

(iv) a right to an impartial decision based upon evidence presented at the hearing; and

(v) a right to subpoena witnesses; and

(c) a statement that the educator surrenders the educator's license freely and voluntarily and without coercion or duress;

(d) a statement that the educator:

(i) is represented by counsel; or

(ii) understands the educator's right to be represented by counsel and knowingly and voluntarily waives the assistance of counsel in UPPAC's investigation;

(e) a statement that the educator is fully aware of the implications of surrendering the educator's license with an investigation pending, including:

(i) that the educator may not work, consult, or volunteer in any K-12 public school in the state of Utah in any capacity;

(ii) that the educator is not eligible for a reinstatement hearing at any time;

(iii) that UPPAC files and case resolution are subject to public disclosure in accordance with state and federal law;

(iv) that notification of the educator's license surrender will be shared with all states through NASDTEC; and

(v) except as provided in Subsection (3), that notification of the educator's license surrender will be:

(A) classified and reported as a voluntary surrender (UPPAC investigation); and

(B) shared with LEAs throughout the state.

(3) If an educator surrenders a license during an investigation of allegations described in Subsection 53A-6-501(5)(b), the surrender will be:

(a) classified and reported as a revocation; and

(b) shared with LEAs through the state.

(4)(a) Voluntary surrender of a license as set forth in this section is permanent.

(b) An educator who surrenders a license as set forth in this section is not eligible for a reinstatement hearing at any time.

 

R277-216-3. Review of Petition to Surrender.

(1)(a) Upon receiving a petition or stipulated agreement as provided in Subsection R277-216-2(2), the Executive Secretary shall review the request for surrender to determine if it meets the requirements set forth in the rule.

(b) If the requirements of Subsection R277-216-2(2) are not met, the Executive Secretary shall notify the educator that the request is insufficient and the reasons why the request is insufficient.

(c) If the requirements of Subsection R277-216-2(2) are met, the Executive Secretary shall notify the Board of the voluntary surrender and request direction on whether to continue the investigation.

(2) Upon receipt of a voluntary surrender of an educator license, the Executive Secretary shall:

(a) notify the educator:

(i) that the voluntary surrender was received;

(ii) whether the Board required UPPAC to continue the investigation;

(iii) that the voluntary surrender will be reported in the public record as a voluntary surrender with pending UPPAC investigation except as provided in Subsection R277-216-2(3);

(iv) that the voluntary surrender will be reported to NASDTEC and to LEAs throughout the state; and

(v) that the educator's license cannot be reinstated at any time.

(b) update CACTUS to reflect the disposition;

(c) report the disposition to NASDTEC;

(d) notify the educator's last employer of record;

(e) report the disposition to LEAs through the state; and

(f) provide the educator a copy of the report to LEAs described in Subsection (2)(e).

 

R277-216-4. Applicability of Rule.

This R277-216 does not apply to an educator's voluntary surrender of the educator's license if the educator is not being investigated by UPPAC.

 

KEY: educators, license surrender, UPPAC

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: 2016

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-6-306; 53A-1-401