- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
The Professional Teaching Practices Commission deals with matters of professional conduct and certification. It has the responsibility and the power to discipline members of the teaching profession and may issue reprimands, suspensions, and/or revocations of educators’ certificates.
Mission Statement
The Professional Teaching Practices Commission’s intent is to serve as a preventative and positive force in helping to enhance the professional performance of all educators so that the public’s right to the best education possible for all of Alaska’s students is adequately protected.
In 1966, the education profession in the state of Alaska was granted the right and responsibility to define and to enforce ethical standards of its members. The Alaska Legislature established and empowered a nine-member Commission to impose sanctions against the certificates of educators who engage in illegal, immoral, or unethical conduct. The Professional Teaching Practices Commission is composed of five teachers, one superintendent, one principal, one representative of the Department of Education & Early Development, and one representative of higher education.
Request an Investigation
A person who has witnessed or has knowledge of a violation of the Code of Ethics by a certificated educator may file a request for an investigation on this Complaint Form. Be sure to include all information with asterisks and reference the subsections for violations with the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.
If someone is unsure what conduct may violate the professional standards that all certificated educators are bound, see 20 AAC 10.200 Complaints.
The Professional Teaching Practices Commission may not investigate all complaints. Complaints must meet certain parameters for acceptance, per 20 AAC 10.210 Complaint Processing.
The staff of the PTPC will investigate accepted complaints. The PTPC Handbook spells out the entire investigative process from acceptance, to investigation, to either dismissal or sanctioning an educator for misconduct.
The PTPC is charged also with investigating complaints of Breach of Contract. The Contractual Obligations Policy explains the regulations for mutually terminating a contract, and how to avoid complaints for breach of contract.
If an educator is notified of an investigation of a complaint files against them, the PTPC Handbook will explain the investigative process. If a complaint is dismissed a review may be requested per 20 AAC 10.220 Review a Decision to Dismiss Complaint.
Evidence found in an investigation may lead to a sanction of a Warning, Reprimand, Suspension or Revocation. See the Scheduled Meetings section of this page for information about when the Professional Teaching Practices Commission may deliberate case findings and order sanctions. See also the Recent Commission Actions tab and View Sanctioned Educators to see sanctions ordered by the PTPC.
If more information is needed, Contact Us.
Scheduled Meetings
The Alaska State Professional Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC) is tentatively scheduled to meet October 3-4, 2024, January 27-28, 2025, and April 10-11, 2025, for the 2025 fiscal year. The Commission plans to consider disciplinary actions against certificate holders, to conduct administrative reviews, and to discuss other Commission business.
Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aid, service, or assistance may contact the PTPC office prior to the meeting. The public is welcome. For more information, call PTPC (907) 269-6579. In person meetings are held at 550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 1236, Anchorage.
The meetings may be in person, but will also be held virtually by Zoom.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81252629806?pwd=ME9kZ3VSTmZsRkFZeXhjSjNaN0tLUT09
Passcode: 115982
Or via telephone: 1-719-359-4580 or 1-253-215-8782
Webinar ID: 812 5262 9806
PTPC Resources
Please check under Quick Links for important documents from PTPC. Additional resources are available at the tabs below Quick Links, for great information to assist educators to enhance their professionalism. Some of the latest newsletters address Politics and the PTPC, Professional Communication and the PTPC, and Professional Boundaries and the PTPC.
Contact Us
- Executive Director
- 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1240
Anchorage, AK 99501 - Telephone: (907) 269-6579
Fax: (907) 269-5070
Important Dates
- FY 2025 Commission Meetings
- October 3-4, 2024
- January 27-28, 2025
- April 10-11, 2025
See also Scheduled Meetings below
Quick Links
- Complaint Form (word)
- Code of Ethics
- Brochure (pdf)
- Complaint Procedures
- Contractual Obligations
- PTPC Handbook for Educators (pdf)
- 2022 Policy Brochure (pdf)
- Sanctioned Certificates
Ethical Obligations
All certificated educators are obligated to abide by the Code of Ethics. School administrators should distribute the Code of Ethics to certified staff regularly. School administrators are advised to distribute the PTPC Handbook to each school site annually, per 20 AAC 10.310.
NASDTEC
The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) provides resources to the PTPC, such as the Clearinghouse. School districts may subscribe to the NASDTEC network. NASDTEC has many other resources including the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE). Information about MCEE is provided under the Resources section in the link “A Look at the Model Code of Ethics for Educators."
Meeting Documents
April 11-12, 2024 - PTPC Adopted Agenda
February 1-2, 2024 - Agenda (pdf)
December 7, 2023 - Minutes - (pdf)
December 7, 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
October 5-6, 2023 - Minutes (pdf)
October 5-6, 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
June 28, 2023 - Minutes (pdf)
June 28, 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
April 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
April 2023 - Minutes (pdf)
February 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
February 2023 - Minutes (pdf)
January 13, 2023 - Agenda (pdf)
January 13, 2023 - Minutes (pdf)
December 2022 - Agenda (pdf)
December 2022 - Minutes (pdf)
October 6-7, 2022 - Agenda (pdf)
October 6-7, 2022 - Minutes (pdf)
April 14-15, 2022 - Agenda (pdf)
April 14-15, 2022 - Minutes (pdf)
January 28, 2022 - Agenda (pdf)
January 28, 2022 - Minutes (pdf)
October 2021 - Agenda (pdf)
October 2021 - Minutes (pdf)
June 29, 2021 - Agenda (pdf)
June 29, 2021 - Minutes (pdf)
April 2021 - Agenda (docx)
April 2021 - Minutes (pdf)
January 28, 2021 - Agenda (docx)
January 2021 - Minutes (docx)
October 2020 - Agenda (docx)
October 2020 - Minutes (docx)
April 23-24, 2020 - Agenda (docx)
April 2020 - Minutes (docx)
January 30-31, 2020 - Agenda (docx)
January 2020 - Minutes (docx)
October 2019 - Agenda (docx)
October 2019 - Minutes (docx)
April 25, 2019 - Agenda (docx)
April 2019 - Minutes (docx)
February 1, 2019 - Agenda (docx)
February 1, 2019 - Minutes (docx)
October 2018 - Agenda (pdf)
October 1, 2018 - Minutes (pdf)
Commission Members
Lem Wheeles (Anchorage)
Teacher Representative, Chair
Anchorage School District
Emma Melkerson (Juneau)
Vice Chair
Juneau School District
Kimberly Bergey (Palmer)
Secretary
Yukon Koyukuk School District
Deborah Riddle (Juneau)
Division Operations Manager, Innovation and Education Excellence
Juneau (DEED)
Adam Reid (Anchorage)
Teacher Representative, Vice - Chair
Anchorage School District
Michael Robbins (Ketchikan)
Superintendent Representative
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Schools
Mary Carlson (Fairbanks)
Higher Education Representative
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Stephanie Green (Wasilla)
Teacher Representative
Matanuska Susitna Borough School District
Vacant
Teacher Representative