Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Teacher Discipline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Board reports licensure reports tripled since 2020; many involve DCS
Summary
State Board general counsel told senators reports to the licensure office rose from 407 in 2020 to over 1,000 in 2025; the board said many reports include Department of Children's Services involvement and that about 51% of reports are opened for investigation.
State Board general counsel Rachel Soupey told the Senate Education Committee the board is receiving far more licensure reports than five years ago and that the caseload is straining a small legal team.
"In 2020, we had 407 reports on the year. In 2025, that number was over 1000," Soupey said, attributing part of the increase to mandatory reporting laws and greater involvement by the Department of Children's Services. She said a substantial share of recent cases include allegations that intersect with DCS investigations.
Soupey said the board has four attorneys and three paralegals handling intake, investigation and litigation when cases proceed to an administrative law judge; as of Jan. 1 the office had 324 open cases and—accounting for a recent 0.25 FTE addition—about 81 cases per attorney. "We would always welcome the addition of any other attorneys," she said.
Committee members sought context on whether the rise reflected more accurate reporting or more incidents; Soupey said increased reporting requirements and outreach likely contribute and that about 51% of reports are formally opened for investigation, a percentage she will corroborate with historical data. The discussion did not produce a change in policy but flagged staffing as a continuing resource pressure for the board.
