About the Commission | Nebraska Professional Practices Commission

Recognition:

Teaching in public schools in this state and the related services including administration and supervisory services are hereby declared a profession, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges accorded other professions.

Coverage:

This act covers classroom teachers, administrators, and supervisors holding public school certificates.

Functions:

The Commission shall develop criteria in the areas of: ethical and professional performance; competency; continuance in professional service; contractual obligations; and others not limited to these.
The Commission shall adopt its own rules and regulations.
The Commission may admonish, and reprimand certificated members of the education profession.
The Commission may recommend to the State Board of Education suspension or revocation of a certificate.
The Commission shall make recommendations which will promote improvement of education and the teaching profession with all the rights and responsibilities appertaining thereto.

Membership:

The Governor appoints twelve Commission members. They are to be representative of elementary and secondary classroom teachers, school administrators, and higher education. The appointments are to be for three years. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms.

Staff:

The Clerk shall serve as directed by the Commission, and as the administrator shall perform duties subject to the provisions of laws, rules, and regulations.

Funding:

The Commission is funded from revenues collected from teacher certificates.

Expenses:

The Commissioners are not paid, but do receive expenses. The actual cost to school districts to employ substitutes for Commission members absent for the Commission shall reimburse Commission business.

Filing a Petition:

A case comes to the Commission in the form of a petition filed by the Commissioner of Education if, after investigation, probable cause to pursue disciplinary action against a teacher or administrator is found.

Hearings and Disposition:

Upon the filing of a petition with the Commission, a hearing is scheduled. The chairperson of the Commission appoints a chairperson for the hearing panel (a minimum of seven members of the twelve-member Commission is required for a hearing panel). The hearing is conducted pursuant to the rules of evidence applicable to the district courts of Nebraska.

At the conclusion, the hearing panel, in an executive session, deliberates and votes upon its final decision or recommendation to the State Board of Education concerning the alleged violations. The Commission may vote to dismiss, admonish, reprimand or shall issue a Recommendation to the Board for suspension, revocation, or support or opposition to reinstatement.

Other services provided by the Commission:

Publications: Code of Ethics for the Teaching Profession; Standards of Competency; and Teacher Aides (which provides clarification of the duties which can be performed by noncertificated personnel). The Clerk is available to discuss the business of the Commission with any group and to visit classrooms at the college level to offer information about the Commission and its business to prospective teachers.