l BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 2 OF THE STATE OF OREGON 3 4 In the Matter of the Educator ) DEFAULT ORDER OF 5 License of ) REVOCATION OF 6 GREGORY DERON JOHNSON ) EDUCATOR LICENSE 7 8 9 On April 25, 2016, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (Commission) 10 issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Gregory Deron Johnson (Johnson) in which 11 the Commission charged him with Gross Neglect of Duty. The Notice was sent via U.S. First 12 Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail Receipt 7015 0640 0004 7539 8223 to the address on file 13 with the Commission. The Notice designated the Commission file as the record for purposes 14 of proving a prima facie case. The Certified Mail was returned to the Commission as 15 “unclaimed”. The first class mail was not returned to the Commission. The Notice of 16 Opportunity for Hearing, dated April 25, 2016, and signed by Victoria Chamberlain, 17 Executive Director, stated: 18 “IF A REQUEST FOR HEARING IS NOT RECEIVED WITHIN THIS 21-DAY 19 PERIOD, YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING SHALL BE CONSIDERED WAIVED 20 UNLESS YOUR FAILURE TO REQUEST A HEARING WAS BEYOND YOUR 21 REASONABLE CONTROL. IF YOU DO NOT REQUEST A HEARING OR IF YOU 22 FAIL TO APPEAR AT A HEARING, THE COMMISSION WILL ADOPT AN ORDER 23 OF DEFAULT WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF 24 YOUR LICENSE OR OTHER DISCIPLINE.” 25 26 Johnson did not request a hearing. The Commission, therefore, finds Johnson to be in 27 default and enters the following findings of fact, conclusions of law, and final order, based 28 on the files and records of the Commission concerning this matter. 29 FINDINGS OF FACT 30 1. Johnson has been licensed as an educator in Oregon since July 28, 1998. 31 Johnson currently holds a Standard Teaching License, with endorsements in 32 Basic Mathematics (018) and Basic General Business Education (020), valid 33 from August 15, 2012, through August 14, 2017. During all relevant times, 34 Johnson was employed by the Saint Helens School District. 35 2. On August 27, 2014, the Commission received a report from the Saint Helens 36 School District advising that Johnson may have committed act(s) that constitute 37 gross neglect 0f duty. The district reported that Johnson had violated local PAGE 1-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF LICENSURE- GREGORY DERON JOHNSON 1 policies regarding the management of J ohnson’s classrooms, curriculum, and 2 grading procedures; and Johnson misrepresented facts to the administration 3 when asked about the problem. Investigation determined that during the 2013 — 4 2014 school year, Johnson failed to provide students with required work ‘ 5 samples, Johnson failed to grade student’s work, and failed to return graded l 6 work to students allowing review and feedback. Students did not receive scores 7 or progress updates nor any opportunities for revisions. Review 0f J ohnson’s 8 record keeping indicated that Johnson miss-entered scores and grades routinely. 9 Audits determined that grades Johnson had entered did not match with the 10 grade that was indicated on the work graded. Many grades appeared to be 11 entered without any support materials 0r work product. Interviews with students 12 indicated that some scores were provided for work the students stated they never l3 performed. District officials indicate that J ohnson’s grading and record keeping 14 was not consistent with the established criteria and policy of the district despite 15 attempts to persuade Johnson to comply. Investigation determined Johnson ‘ 16 failed to grade assignments in a timely and accurate manner. It was also j 17 determined that Johnson presented inaccurate grades, and information about i 18 these grades to school officials when questioned about the discrepancies. Audits 19 of J ohnson’s grading practices indicted a variety of discrepancies, including- 20 grades that were entered inaccurately, grades were assigned for work that was 1 21 not assessed by Johnson, and grades not entered in a timely manner 0r at all. i 22 District investigation determined Johnson to be untruthful in his responses to l 23 the school administrators conducting the investigation. On March 8, 2015, 24 Johnson resigned his employment effective June 13, 2015. 25 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 26 J ohnson’s conduct described above constitutes gross neglect of duty in in violation of 27 ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-o2o-oo4o(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) 28 (Use professional judgment), OAR 584-020-0015(2)(a)(Use of state and district adopted 29 curriculum and goals), OAR 584-020-0015(2)(b)(Skill in setting instructional goals and 30 objectives expressed as learning outcomes), OAR 584-020-0015(2)(e)( Skill in the selection 31 and use of teaching techniques conducive to student learning), OAR 584-020-0020(2)(a) PAGE 2-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF LlCENSURE- GREGORY DERON JOHNSON 1 (Multiple ways to assess the academic progress of individual students), OAR 584-020- 2 0020(2)(b) (Skill in the application 0f assessment data to assist individual student 3 growth), OAR 584-020-0020(2)(c)(Pr0cedures for evaluating curriculum and 4 instructional goals and practices), OAR 548-020-0025(2)(c) (Using and maintaining 5 student records as required by federal and state law and district policies and procedures), 6 OAR 548-020-0025(2)(e) (Using district lawful and reasonable rules and regulations); 7 OAR 584-020-004o(4)(c) (Falsification of any document or knowing misrepresentation 8 directly related to licensure, employment, 0r professional duties); and OAR 584-020- 9 0040(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(2)(c) (Strive for continued improvement 10 and professional growth). l l 12 The Commission’s authority to impose discipline in this matter is based upon ORS 13 342.175. 14 FINAL ORDER 15 The Commission hereby refvpkes Gregory Deron J ohnson’s Educator License. l l6 IT IS SO ORDERED THIS l5 ' day of August, 2016. l7 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION l8 By: i IL t 19 Dr. Monica Beane, Executive Director 20 21 NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS 22 23 YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW 24 MAY BE OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM 25 THE SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE 26 PROVISIONS OF ORS 183.482 TO THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS. PAGE 3-DEFAULT ORDER 0F REVOCATION OF LlCENSURE- GREGORY DERON JOHNSON CERTIFICATE OF MAILING I hereby certify that I served the foregoing notice of final order, certified by me as such, by mailing U.S. First Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail-Return Receipt Requested, addressed to: Gregory Deron Johnson 7082 N Cambridge Ave Portland, OR 97203-4716 Dated this If?’ day of August, 2016. By: P heldon Investigative Assistant PAGE 1- CERTIFICATE OF MAlLlNG- GREGORY DERON JOHNSON