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SBEC issues multiple default judgments and several suspensions after disciplinary hearings and proposals for decision
Summary
At its public meeting the State Board for Educator Certification issued many default judgments, approved sanctions including multi-year suspensions and modified proposal-for-decision sanctions in several contested cases; the board also adopted some ALJ recommendations of no action.
The board considered disciplinary matters, including a large set of default cases, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) defaults, and proposal-for-decision (PFD) matters.
Group defaults and pulled cases: The board called the remaining default cases (default cases 1–52 with specific exclusions) and adopted staff’s request to issue default judgments and enter final orders consistent with staff recommendations; the motion was made by Ms. Glasscock and seconded by Dr. McFarland, and carried. Several defaults were pulled for separate consideration.
Pulled defaults and individual sanctions: The board discussed and ruled on a set of pulled defaults. Example actions recorded in the meeting transcript include: a final order consistent with staff recommendations in default case 31 (motion carried); a final order consistent with staff recommendations in default case 35 (motion carried) where staff noted the suspension end date aligned with the certificate expiration; in default case 48 the board ordered a two-year suspension plus proof of successful completion of an anger management course (motion and carried); and in default case 49 the board ordered a two-year suspension plus proof of successful completion of an anger management course (motion carried). The board also addressed a SOAH default (SOAH default number 1) and adopted staff’s recommended final order.
Proposals for decision (PFDs): The board considered five PFD matters. In State Board v. Elizabeth Lopez (docket referenced in transcript), the administrative law judge recommended an inscribed reprimand with probated suspension but staff recommended a 10-year suspension to match community supervision; the board adopted the PFD with a modified sanction suspending the certificate for 10 years (motion carried). In the matter of August Godsey, the ALJ recommended no action but staff recommended a one-year suspension; the board struck one finding of fact, modified conclusions of law and imposed a one-year suspension (motion carried). For Raul Santillan and Jeremy Scott the board accepted ALJ recommendations imposing two-year suspensions (including a class on professional boundaries for Santillan); for Rakan Jones the board accepted the ALJ recommendation of no disciplinary action.
The board’s disciplinary agenda included routine staff motions and voice votes and in several instances the board modified ALJ-recommended sanctions consistent with staff exceptions and legal provisions cited in the motions. The meeting record shows the board asked clarifying questions about aggravating or mitigating facts, probation timelines tied to criminal supervision and how the agency calculates sanction lengths.
Ending: The board completed disciplinary business and recessed; TEA confirmed follow-up steps for implementing sanctions and notifying affected certificate holders and relevant districts.
