Rising number of teachers decertified

Forty-two Connecticut educators had their certificates revoked between 2015 and 2019, according to a list obtained from the state Department of Education, which also shows the number jumped from four revocations in 2015 to 17 revocations in 2019.

The rise was not steady from year to year, the data obtained by Hearst shows. The state revoked the certifications of six educators in 2016 and nine in 2017, but that number went down to

five in 2018, according to the list, which includes teachers, administrators and coaches.

The creation in 2016 of the Bureau of Investigations and Professional Practices, dedicated to handling investigations that could result in actions against educators’ certificates, may have contributed to the change, said Peter Yazbak, spokesman for the state Education Department.

“That increased focus is probably why we saw a faster resolution of investigations resulting in actions taken against the certification of the educator,” he said.

As of Jan. 23, when the list was released, one educator’s certificate had been revoked in 2020.

The BIPP investigated 89 cases in 2019, with 30 of those still ongoing, Yazbak said Friday, adding that 29 were dismissed without action, and 30 resulted in an action of some kind — including 17 revocations.

In addition to revoking an educator’s permit, the state may suspend it; place the educator on probation; or deny an application for certification, which may be a renewal, Yazbak said.

The list does not include educators whose certificates were suspended or educators who were placed on probation.

State regulations outline a number of causes by which the Department of Education can take action against an educator’s certificate. The educator may have obtained a teaching permit fraudulently, been convicted of a crime, or failed to perform his duties, the regulations say, adding that “other due and sufficient cause” can result in revocation.

The state-provided list does not give the reason for each revocation.

In addition to revoking the certificates of 42 educators, the state has denied at least 34 applications for certificates since 2015.

BIPP investigations into educators typically are triggered by reports from the Department of Children and Families, criminal investigations, or complaints from school districts, Yazbak said.

After it concludes its investigation, the BIPP sends a report to the education commissioner, who decides whether there is just cause to revoke a certificate, Yazbak said.

The educator then may surrender the certificate or submit an appeal and seek a formal hearing on the matter, Yazbak said. The hearing officer makes a recommendation to the state Board of Education, which votes to accept or revise that recommendation, he said.

The length of an investigation depends on the case, Yazbak said.

Yazbak also explained what happens to teachers as investigations are pending.

“In most cases, the district has placed the individual on leave (and many times the educator has already resigned) before Connecticut State Department of Education is aware of the alleged misconduct. The district has either been contacted by DCF or police about alleged abuse/neglect investigations or criminal investigations,” he wrote in an email.

When told about the increase in certificate revocations, Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents and a former superintendent of schools, said the apparent uptick in teacher certifications being revoked correlates with the state department’s own efforts to conclude investigations more quickly by creating a new investigative agency.

But Rabinowitz also said there’s a need for more diligence in the hiring process.

“You need to certainly do all your background checks,” said Rabinowitz. “You worry about (hiring discrimination) lawsuits on the part of individuals, but I’ve had lots of experiences where I think we can be open and avoid the lawsuits at the same time.”

Rabinowitz said she had personal experience as a new superintendent nearly hiring someone at a principal’s request before doing a simple Web search.

“He was not the person I wanted to hire; there was a lot of background there. I learned my lesson because I was very close,” she said.

Rabinowitz said superintendents should be open and honest with one another if they receive a call. She also said it’s a good practice to check in with not just a candidate’s last employer, but the one before that, as well.

“Lawsuits are nasty things, but the safety and security of our children has to be the top priority,” she said.