The intern will work with attorneys from the Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability ("OSPRA") at the New York State Department of Education. OSPRA attorneys are responsible for prosecuting 8 NYCRR Part 83 moral character disciplinary proceedings against persons holding or seeking NYS teaching certificates. OSPRA attorneys prepare Part 83 cases for administrative hearings. This includes, among other things, ensuring that all witnesses and evidence have been identified, preparing charges, preparing disclosure materials and exhibits, and preparing openings, closings, direct examinations, and cross-examination. OSPRA attorneys are responsible for preparing appeal response papers. OSPRA attorneys analyze school district requests for Part 87 fingerprint employment clearances for prospective school employees. Such analysis includes reviewing Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history records, obtaining criminal records from courts and law enforcement agencies, and evaluating individuals' criminal records and related information in accordance with Correction Law §§ 752 and 753 and 8 NYCRR Part 87.
The intern will work directly with attorneys and assignments will include work related to Part 83 moral character cases and Part 87 fingerprint clearance request cases. Examples of the work that interns may be assigned include the following:
1. Assist attorneys in review of evidence: identify exhibits and witnesses, determine what information/evidence needs to be collected;
2. Assist attorneys in preparation of disclosure, exhibits, and hearing binder;
3. Request documents/evidence from courts, law enforcement, or other agencies and conduct any follow up as necessary;
4. Conduct Internet research to obtain factual information relating to cases (news articles, statistics, demographics, other data);
5. Conduct legal research;
6. Draft settlement agreements;
7. Redact documents in accordance with the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) in preparation for public disclosure; and
8. Review school district administrative hearing transcripts and highlight testimony relevant to OSPRA's Part 83 proceedings.
The intern will have the opportunity to learn how to evaluate evidence and prepare cases for administrative hearing. In so doing, the intern will learn specifically about Part 83 and related areas of New York State Education Law, and more broadly about the prosecution of administrative matters, including the applicable burden of proof and evidentiary rules. The intern will also have the opportunity to learn how to read DCJS and FBI criminal histories, how to evaluate criminal histories in accordance with New York State Correction Law §§ 752 & 753.
The OSPRA intern will be a law school student. The ideal candidate would: pay attention to detail and check for accuracy; possess a willingness to learn; take on any project small or large; have the ability to manage multiple projects; be well-organized, and understand the need for discretion as the intern will be exposed to confidential information that must remain confidential. The candidate must be willing to undergo fingerprinting to conduct a criminal history background check.
The intern should be available to work no more than 29 hours per week. Internship hours will be Monday-Friday between the hours of 8am and 4pm. The specific hours that the intern will work during those hours is flexible. A set schedule will be set based upon the weekly availability of the intern.
To apply for this position, please send your resume, cover letter, transcript (unofficial is acceptable), and signed application to Internships@nysed.gov with the code OEP-SU24-2 in your subject line. Failure to send complete applications or follow the instructions will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
Kristin Little