Have you received a Notice of Charges?
Do you need information about the professional discipline process before the PA Professional Standards & Practices Commission? If so, call me for a free 30 minute consultation.
Notice of Charges
- Following their investigation of an Educator Misconduct Complaint, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) may file a formal accusation of misconduct with the PA Professional Standards & Practices Commission (Commission).
- This is called a Notice of Charges (Notice).
- The statute the OCC is following is called the Educator Discipline Act.
- Copy served upon the educator.
- If you do not respond to the Notice it is possible that the Commission will treat each allegation in the Notice as true.
- The Commission could then proceed to impose discipline on your teaching certification assuming every allegation in the Notice is true.
File Answer with Commission
- Answer agreeing with charges and moving to penalty phase; or
- Answer disagreeing with charges and requesting hearing.
- Hearing Officer (HO) appointed
- Local Education Agency intervention?
- Pre-hearing conference
- Closed Hearing not open to public. Not jury trial.
- Receipt of transcript and sub- mission of written memoranda to HO;
- HO issues proposed Report including Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Recommended Discipline.
- Exceptions filed?
Oral Argument of Exceptions before Commission
- Once the Commission has received Exceptions and Responses, it's members will hear arguments in favor and against Exceptions to HO Report.
- Final Vote by Commission members to accept, modify or reject HO Report.