Teacher Certification Appeals Council public meetings in 2025

Teacher Certification Appeals Council

The Teacher Certification Appeals Council will hold an executive session to discuss the character and competence of numerous appellants, followed by a records review of denied certification applications. The meeting includes approval of prior minutes and is open to the public via livestream.

• Executive session to discuss personal and professional qualifications of 40+ named appellants
• Records review of denied teacher certification applications
• Approval of minutes from August 28, 2025 meeting

The Teacher Certification Appeals Council approved several requests for certificate extensions to allow educators to meet evaluation or exam requirements. The Council denied multiple requests for Level certificates, though many applicants were granted extensions of their Practitioner’s Licenses pending residency requirements.

• Approved Level 2 certificate extension for Felicia Chandler (1 year)
• Approved Level 2 certificate extension for Meaghan Gibson (3 years)
• Approved Level 2 certificate extension for Georgette Savoia (3 years)
• Approved Level 3 certificate extension for Ashlie Allardyce (1 year)
• Approved Ancillary School Counselor certificate extension for Angela Watt (1 year)
• Approved issuance of Ancillary Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps certificate for Curtis Lewis, Jr.
• Denied request to add Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12 to Level certificate for Stephanie Heinzen
• Denied Level certificate requests for 30+ applicants, with most receiving Practitioner’s License extensions

Teacher Certification Appeals Council

The Teacher Certification Appeals Council will meet to approve minutes from April 2025 and then enter executive session to discuss the character and professional competence of 36 individuals listed in the agenda. Following the closed session, the council will conduct a records review regarding certification appeals for these appellants.

• Executive session to discuss character and competence of certification appellants
• Records review for 36 named certification appeal applicants
• Approval of minutes from April 24, 2025 meeting

Teacher Certification Appeals Council

The Teacher Certification Appeals Council approved several requests for teaching certificate extensions and renewals. The council denied several requests for Level certificate issuance, though some were granted extensions of Practitioner's Licenses. Other actions included approving the April 24, 2025, meeting minutes.

• Approved minutes from April 24, 2025
• Granted certificate extensions for Melanie Pharr, Becky Adams, Jessica Cavenah, Tiffany Guidry, Sarah Lambert, Chancey Mouhot, Kylie Trisler, and Erin Vaughan
• Denied certificate extension request for Michelle Matt
• Deferred Mindy McConnell's extension request to October 23, 2025
• Granted certificate extensions for Kirstie Carter-Penny, Monique Fontenot, and Mandy Segura
• Granted Out-of-State certificate extensions for Danielle Alfano and Amanda Trim; denied Mark Perry
• Granted Level certificate issuance for Angienelia Cross, Cassidy Jones, and Dayjell Williams
• Denied Level certificate issuance for Tyler Bourque, Christopher Caffery, Tamelra Jenkins, Sarah Maggio, Taylor Reed, and Theresa Rodriquez (Practitioner's License extensions granted)

Teacher Certification Appeals Council

The Louisiana Department of Education's Teacher Certification Appeal Council will meet to elect a co-chair, approve previous meeting minutes, and conduct a records review of 39 individual certification appeals from applicants whose certificates were denied. The council will also enter executive session to discuss the character, professional competence, or health of the appellants before reviewing their cases.

• Election of a Co-Chair for the Teacher Certification Appeal Council
• Executive session to discuss character, professional competence, or health of appellants
• Records review of 39 denied certification appeals (listed individuals from Gregory Free to Jennifer Murphy)
• Approval of minutes from the November 7, 2024 meeting

The Teacher Certification Appeals Council approved numerous requests to extend, renew, or issue teaching certificates, with most granted and a few denied or deferred. The council also named Hennessey Melancon as Co-Chair and approved the previous meeting's minutes. All actions were taken during the April 24, 2025 meeting in Baton Rouge.

• Approved minutes of November 7, 2024 meeting
• Named Hennessey Melancon as Co-Chair
• Granted extensions for Type C, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 certificates (e.g., Gregory Free, Dorothy Harper, Penny Thibodeaux, Charmisha Baker, Katie Hutchinson, Kelly Billeaudeaux, Lurlene Stratton, Tania Lovell, Victoria Stein, Julie Belgard, Tara Courville)
• Granted extensions for Ancillary-School Counselor, Ancillary-JROTC, and Temporary Authority to Teach certificates (e.g., Tania Lovell, Wanda Evans, Jason Tubbs, Beverly Matthews, Cullen Gravouia, Anastasia McCoy, LaTasha Manuel)
• Denied LaToya Givens's request to renew Temporary Authority to Teach
• Granted extensions for Out-of-State and Out-of-Field certificates (e.g., Ashley Billiot, Emma Gerard, Kasey Sharp, Remi Hill, Robin Sam, Paula Savinetti, Tetzee Gelua, Cecelia Dugas)
• Granted Practitioner's License extensions (Jeffrey Cappell, Roylin Jones) and granted Shonda Ford's Educational Leader Level 2 extension with contingency
• Denied requests to add endorsements (Avery Glass, Auntresse McClay, Jessica Freeman) and denied Educational Leader Level 1 eligibility (Neely Darby, Roderick Meaux)