Report 2014-502 Recommendation 1 Responses

Report 2014-502: Commission on Teacher Credentialing—Follow-Up Review (Release Date: July 2014)

Recommendation #1 To: Teacher Credentialing, California Commission on

To make its strategic plan a more useful mechanism for accomplishing its mission, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (commission) should ensure that, to the extent possible, its goals have timelines and are measureable. Further, the commission should periodically evaluate and track its progress towards meeting its goals.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016

The Commission has a strategic plan that includes broad goal horizons. At the beginning of each year, as called for in the Commission's policy manual, the Executive Director presents the Commission with a set of priorities for the year that are aligned with the strategic plan. At the end of each year, the Executive Director presents an update to the Commission. Each of these priorities requires action during the year that is measurable. In addition, in relation to organizational and operational effectiveness (one of our goal areas), the Commission is provided with regular updates on our production work in discipline, certification and accreditation. All of this information is framed for the Commission annually in a memo from the Executive Director. The current strategic plan was initially adopted in 2012, revised and updated in 2014, and is scheduled for its next review and update in 2017. A follow-up email will be sent with documents supporting the above. They will show the progress towards goals in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and a presentation of 2016 goals. In addition, we will provide our current strategic plan as well as documents used to track progress towards goals specifically for work in discipline and certification.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2015

As stated in our previous response, the Commission considered and revised its Strategic Plan, which was adopted during its December 2014 Commission meeting. The Plan calls for the Commission to "monitor response times for processing applications, investigations allegations of misconduct...to ensure timeliness and a high level of operational effectiveness."

During its August 2015 Commission meeting, the Division of Professional Practices (DPP) presented its Annual Report. As part of the annual report, Commission staff mirrored the methodology of your 2011 audit to review the timeliness of action in the DPP. The timelines review indicates the Commission made significant improvements in timeliness, reducing the average time for case completion from 683 days to 392 days.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

As stated in our pervious response, the Commission considered and revised its Strategic Plan, which was adopted during its December 2014 Commission meeting. The Plan calls for the Commission to "monitor response times for processing applications, investigations allegations of misconduct...to ensure timeliness and a high level of operational effectiveness."

During its August 2015 meeting, the Commission will review the results of the timeliness of a random sample of 30 cases that were closed in fiscal year 2014-15. Commission staff used the methodology of your 2011 audit to review the timeliness of case actions. I will mail the Strategic Plan, agenda items, and the timeliness results of the discipline cases reviewed.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

This is a good start for the commission. However, the measure discussed above is for only one section of the Commission's strategic plan. The Commission needs to add timelines and measures to all sections of the plan that do not have them, where relevant.

6-Month Agency Response

As stated in our previous response, the Commission considered and revised its Strategic Plan. During its October 9-10 2014 meeting, the Commission held a retreat to consider the work to be accomplished Commission-wide as part for the strategic planning process. In December 2014, the Commission adopted the new Strategic Plan.

I will forward the August 2014 Commission Information item; the December 2014 Commission Action item regarding the Review and Adoption of the Strategic Plan; as well a portion of the Commission's Policy Manual (Section 600(c)), regarding oversight of the Strategic Plan.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

While the Commission's August 2014 Strategic Plan objectives for its Division of Professional Practices specify the timing of when it will evaluate the progress it is making toward meeting its goals, it does not include the metrics needed to measure its progress. Specifically, the objectives do not include a baseline or the measure they are attempting to meet. As a result, CTC has not fully implemented this recommendation.

60-Day Agency Response

I will forward the Division of Professional Practices agenda item that was presented to the Commission during its August 2014 meeting, which includes the DPP's strategic plan objectives.

The Commission will be discussing an overall Strategic Plan during its October 9-10, 2014 meeting and anticipates that a final Commission Strategic Plan will be adopted at either the February or April 2015 Commission meeting.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2014-502

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.