An August report by Public Citizen’s Research Group ranks states based on their annual average rate of serious disciplinary actions per 1,000 physicians. According to the report, Michigan had the highest rate, with 1.74 disciplinary actions per 1,000 physicians per year. The District of Columbia had the lowest rate at 0.19. The watchdog group said “state medical boards are doing a dangerously lax job in enforcing their states’ medical practice acts.”
To help with teacher shortages, some states now turn to fast-track credentialing programs to put more teachers in the classrooms. Some states, according to Stateline on July 24, use online credentialing companies, like iteach to prepare teacher candidates. Education Week reported last year that “States Relax Teacher Certification Rules to Combat Shortages.” According to the website for iteach, they list 11 states as locations.
A committee tasked with reviewing Iowa boards, commissions and similar entities recommended eliminating or merging over 100 entities. After reviewing the effectiveness of all 256 Iowa boards, commissions, and similar entities in the state, the Boards and Commissions Review Committee (BCRC) recommended that 52 are consolidated, 47 are reorganized, and 69 are fully eliminated. Only 88 are slated to continue with no changes, according to JD Supra on September 5. The BCRC released five key findings, including: “Iowa requires a license or certification for too many occupations, and its standards across all license types are inconsistent, inefficient, and unequal.”
California’s Medical Board Can’t Pay Its Bills, But Doctors Resist Proposed Fixes