Short-staffed Teacher Standards and Practices Commission details process when an educator is charged with a crime

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The commission that oversees teacher certifications in the State of Oregon says they will revoke licenses for educators, but only once charges are proven. Right now, the commission only has four investigators for over 600 open cases, highlighting their ongoing need for funding and staff.

The details from the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) came after KTVZ News sent a number of questions following the child abuse indictment of Sarah Marie Sessions.

Session, who KTVZ discovered still has an active teacher's license, once lived near Sunriver and taught at Ponderosa Elementary during the 2020 school year.

First, the TSPC is responsible for investigating allegations of educator misconduct and taking disciplinary action when appropriate. When an educator is accused of a crime, TSPC reviews the matter to determine whether it falls within its jurisdiction and whether it may constitute a violation of Oregon’s laws or rules governing educators.

Though they do investigate these situations, the TSPC stressed that teachers are entitled to due process and are believed to be innocent until proven guilty. To ensure this, the commission typically waits for the court case or criminal investigation to finish before it takes action.

When and if the charges or misconduct are proven, the TSPC can suspend or revoke the license of an educator who "violated applicable laws or professional standards".

However, the agency is facing a serious staff shortage and is in desperate need of more funding. The TSPC told KTVZ News they "currently have more than 600 open investigations," with a team that starting July 1 will only have four investigators. That means each investigator will have at least 150 cases.

The commission says it's "actively seeking additional resources to improve the timeliness of investigations."

One of those efforts is Senate Bill 805, which was put forth by Gov. Tina Kotek. She has at times been unhappy with the commission's inability to investigate cases in more timely fashion, particularly those linked to sexual abuse.

The bill is currently before the Senate, where it is facing both praise and pushback.