New: Upcoming Agency Holidays 
TEA will be closed on Wednesday, November 24th, Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th. TEA staff will respond to phone calls, emails, and Help Desk tickets submitted on agency holidays once the agency reopens.  

New: TExES 291 – 391 Exam Transition Test Approval Reminder 
With the upcoming discontinuation of the TExES #291 Core Subjects EC-6 exam, TEA would like to remind programs to provide candidates with test approval (once test readiness is demonstrated) for candidates who have remaining exam attempts on the #291 exam. TEA is in the process of notifying candidates who have remaining TExES #291 exam attempts but programs can start to notify candidates as well. The TEA email will be sent to the candidate’s email address that is listed in the candidate’s TEAL educator account. 

A passing score on the TExES #291 exam can be used for certification purposes until December 30, 2022. TEA advises programs to notify candidates of the exam transition. 

October 20 Insight to Impact Data Dashboard Webinar - Thank you! 
Thanks so much to everyone who joined the Insight to Impact webinar on October 20. We had a great turnout-- 96 participants from 74 EPPs! Thank you for providing high-quality feedback and engaging in the very important discussion around Insight to Impact. If you were unable to attend, you can click here to view the slide deck. 

Certificate Correction, Deactivation/Reactivation, and Data Fix Webinar 
It’s time for another EPP webinar! This webinar will occur on Wednesday, December 1st from 10:00 am – 11:00 am. The purpose of this webinar is to review certificate correction, deactivation, reactivation, and data fix processes. This webinar is intended for those who submit certificate correction, deactivation/reactivation, and data fix requests. The webinar registration link can be found in the Upcoming Events section as well.  

Innovative EPP Commendation Call  
In October of 2019, the SBEC approved a framework and procedures for determining EPP Commendations. Commendation Category 4, the Innovative Educator Preparation category, gives the SBEC the opportunity to designate EPPs that have implemented innovative approaches in a defined area of emphasis.  

The call for applications can be found at the link and on the Program Provider Resources page. EPPs must respond to the call by December 1, 2021 with a complete set of materials to be eligible for recognition. The TEA reviews applications for topic alignment and completeness. Complete and appropriate applications are reviewed by an SBEC committee which recommends EPPs to the full SBEC for approval of the commendation. Recognition is awarded at the discretion of the committee and the SBEC. 

The FAQ document for the Innovative EPP Commendation Call provides responses to questions received from the field to date. 

New: Special Education Exam Framework Public Comment Period through December 10th
Public comments are being requested through December 10, 2021, on the draft Special Education EC-6 Framework and Special Education 6-12 Framework, which are based on the Special Education Certificate Standards. The frameworks will help guide the test development process for the new Special Education EC-6 and 6-12 tests. Comments may be sent to DeMarco Pitre 

DID YOU KNOW?  
Candidates can now upload their Test-Limit Waiver application online. Please have them review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document  for answers to common questions. 

Superintendent Certification Application 
The Superintendent Certification Application for the Substitution of Managerial Experience in Lieu of the Principal Certification has been updated. Please destroy old versions of the application that you may have on file. 

In order to substitute managerial experience for the principal certification, individuals must have three years of experience as a district employee in the following areas: 

1) Supervising and/or appraising personnel (direct supervision or appraisal, not simply taking part in the appraisal process); 

2) Leading district-wide (not campus-wide) projects or initiatives; and 

3) Managing and/or creating a budget 

Q: Is a candidate meeting the training requirement through an internship able to work as a part-time teacher?  
A: 19 TAC §228.35(e)(2)(B) requires the candidate to work in a classroom teacher assignment that allows the candidate to work an average of 4 hours each day in the subject area and grade level of certification sought. A part-time teaching position that does not meet this requirement would not meet the internship TAC qualifications. 

Q: If a candidate who graduated from our EPP non-certified 15 years ago comes back to the EPP and requests exam approval, but we no longer have their candidate documentation, are we able to provide test approval? If so, does that affect our next continuing approval review?  
A: If the candidate was a finisher, and if the certificate area in which the candidate finished is still a valid area, the EPP would provide test approval per 19 TAC §230.21(b). If the candidate was not a finisher, then the EPP would be required to formally admit the candidate and provide all requirements. See 19 TAC §228.40(d) for test approval requirements. To ensure the program has the required documents for a continuing approval review, the program would document the test approval process for the Finisher candidate and document the admission-to-certification processes if the candidate is required to readmit to the EPP. 

Information regarding educator certification testing can be accessed at the Texas Educator Certification Exam website.   

Information regarding the Science of Teaching Reading Exam can be accessed at tea.texas.gov/str.   

Information regarding edTPA 2020-2021 information opportunities.   

Information and updates regarding the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL) can be accessed at the Important Updates link.   

Updated information related to the COVID-19 response can be accessed here.   

To view previous editions of the weekly newsletter, please see the Texas Educator Preparation Program Weekly Newsletter webpage.