March 15, 2022: Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter

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March 15, 2022

Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter

Three young students on the floor, sharing a book called Ovals, from Donna ISD

Welcome

Happy (belated) Pi Day!! Pi Day is one of my most favorite days of the year. One, because you get to eat pie, but two because it serves as a reminder that not everything “irrational” is bad. Pi is one of the most common constants and recognized symbols. Although pi is known to represent an irrational number, it is needed in order to solve some of the most complex problems. In fact, before pi was devised by British mathematician William Jones in 1706, there were a multitude of problems that could not be solved. Pi is a reminder that sometimes it’s ok to be irrational, to be outside of the box and innovative, to not shy away from the unknown. I challenge you for the rest of this month to be creative and not shy away from decisions that may go a little outside the norm. Be like pi...a solution to an unsolved problem.

Our goal is for this newsletter to serve as a support by compiling the most up-to-date information concerning what you need to know that impacts your candidates in the coming weeks. Please thoroughly read all the sections for reminders, upcoming events, to dos, and FAQs.  

If you are not currently subscribed to the newsletter, please sign up at the link below.  
Educator Preparation Program Listserv Registration  

Upcoming Events

Topic: edTPA 101
Description: In this webinar, participants will be provided with an overview of the purpose, development, and design of edTPA. Additionally, participants will examine what candidates provide as evidence for each of the edTPA tasks, engage in a review of the scoring process, and learn how to access key resources.
Event Date: March 16, 2022
Event Time: 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Register here)

Topic: Evaluating Candidate’s edTPA Performance
Description: In this workshop, a member of the edTPA National Academy (affiliated with a Texas Educator Preparation Program) will provide opportunities for participants to review the edTPA rubrics, introduce a process for identifying and evaluating evidence within an edTPA portfolio, and identify ways in which the performance evaluation process can be used for continuous improvement.
Event Date: (Half Day) March 18, 2022
Event Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Register here)

Topic: Equity Features of edTPA
Description: In this webinar, a member of the edTPA National Academy (affiliated with a Texas educator preparation program) and/or representative(s) from a Texas educator preparation program will provide opportunities for participants to examine the equitable instructional practices embedded in the edTPA tasks and rubrics. Furthermore, the session facilitator(s) will provide examples of best practices to help prepare equity-minded candidates.
Event Date: March 24, 2022
Event Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Register here)

Upcoming Deadlines

Topic: Vetted Teacher Residency Program Application
Action: Open Application, not required.
Due Date: March 22, 2022- April 12, 2022

Topic: PASL
Action: Spring Registration Closes
Due Date: April 5, 2022

Topic: Vetted Principal Residency Program Application
Action: Open Application, not required.
Due Date: April 12, 2022- May 9, 2022

Topic: PASL
Action: Task Submission Deadline
Due Date: April 19, 2022 2 pm ET

Topic: School Counselor Certification
Action: Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #152.
Due Date: September 6, 2022

Topic: Trade & Industrial Education 6-12 Certification
Action: Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #270.
Due Date: September 6, 2022

Topic: ELAR 4-8 Certification
Action: Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #117.
Due Date: October 30, 2022

Upcoming Events
Upcoming Deadlines
Educator Standards and Testing
Program Spotlight
FAQs
TEA Updates
For More Information...

EPP Points of Contact

Your best source for information and support at the TEA.  

As an EPP, your main point of contact is your Education Specialist.  

View a list of EPPs and their
associated Education Specialist.
For easiest assistance, file a HelpDesk Ticket.

Educator Standards and Testing

Updates related to Educator Standards and Certification Testing  

New: ETS PASL Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Submission Dates available
Upcoming important dates are now available for PASL. Please note the date when scores arrive to EPPs and TEA in ECOS.

PASL Assessment	Important Dates
FALL 2022 ORIGINAL
PASL Registration Open	Mon 7/18/2022
PASL Submission System Open	Thu 9/1/2022
PASL Registration/Reschedule/Cancellation Deadline	Tue 11/15/2022
PASL Task Deadline 2 pm ET	Tue 11/29/2022
PASL Scores to Candidates	Thu 12/29/2022
PASL Scores to EPPs & TEA	Wed 1/4/2023

FALL 2022 RESUBMISSION
PASL Resubmission Opens	Thu 12/29/2022
PASL Resubmission Registration Close	Thu 1/12/2023
PASL Resubmission Task Deadline 2 pm ET	Thu 1/19/2023
PASL Resubmission Scores to Candidates	Fri 2/10/2023
PASL Resubmission Scores to EPPs & TEA	Mon 2/13/2023

SPRING 2023 ORIGINAL
PASL Registration Open	Mon 7/18/2022
PASL Submission System Open	Tue 1/3/2023
PASL Registration/Reschedule/Cancellation Deadline	Tue 3/28/2023
PASL Task Deadline 2 pm ET	Tue 4/11/2023
PASL Scores to Candidates	Tue 5/9/2023
PASL Scores to EPPs & TEA	Wed 5/10/2023

SPRING 2023 RESUBMISSION
PASL Resubmission Opens	Tue 5/9/2023
PASL Resubmission Registration Close	Tue 5/23/2023
PASL Resubmission Task Deadline 2 pm ET	Wed 5/31/2023
PASL Resubmission Scores to Candidates	Thu 6/22/2023
PASL Resubmission Scores to EPPs & TEA	Mon 6/26/2023

2022 edTPA Virtual Workshops and Webinars
Are you looking to learn more about edTPA and edTPA implementation? We invite you to join the virtual learning opportunities that have been scheduled in partnership with Texas’ edTPA National Academy members. These learning opportunities range from workshops, to edTPA 101s, to implementation support. Please see the Upcoming Events section of this newsletter for more information.

Additional workshops and webinars have been scheduled for spring and summer 2022. Information about the workshops and webinars (e.g., date, time, how to join) can be found in the flyer Spring and Summer 2022 edTPA Virtual Workshops and Webinars. Please note that when you access the flyer, you will want to save the flyer locally (rather than open in Google docs) in order to select the registration links.

PASL resources videos
ETS and TEA have worked together to create instructional videos to orient faculty, staff, and candidates to the requirements of the PASL test. Video one provides a general overview of PASL, its content, and scoring/reporting procedures. Video two provides a more in-depth overview of the tasks associated with the assessment. Full requirements, descriptions, and resources may be found in the PASL Candidate and Educator handbook.

NOTE: If you have trouble accessing the videos linked above, please copy and paste the links (see below) in your web browser.

Video One: https://vimeo.com/user127014634/download/669946029/6aa375f585
Video Two: https://vimeo.com/user127014634/download/669946067/750a97cbf9

ETS Seeking Scorers for PASL
ETS invites school leaders and preparation faculty to participate in the online scoring of the ETS® Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL). This is an excellent opportunity for school leaders and preparation program faculty to become more familiar with this certification exam. Professionals who meet the criteria listed on PASL Scoring Job Opportunities are eligible to be scoring professionals (raters) for the assessment.

DID YOU KNOW? 
Candidates who register for the PASL and do not submit any tasks by the submission deadline will receive a zero as a score and the attempt will count towards the five-time test limit. Please ensure candidate support is provided when completing and submitting tasks.

If schedule conflicts or unforeseen circumstances occur, these individuals may need to reschedule their submission window or cancel their registration prior to the deadline.

Program Spotlight

In each newsletter, we aim to celebrate the great work from EPPs around Texas.

New: In this week’s newsletter, we would like to honor and applaud the EPPs who were recently recognized for the 2020-2021 Educator Preparation Program Commendations for Category 2, Preparing the Educators Texas Needs. These EPPs who were recognized for Commendations in Category 2 demonstrated exemplary efforts for recruiting, preparing, and supporting the certification of teachers in content shortage areas. Please join us in congratulating each of these EPPs!

In last week’s newsletter, we highlighted EPPs that were recognized for Commendations in Category 1: Rigorous and Robust Preparation. In next week’s newsletter, we will highlight and congratulate EPPs who received commendations for: Category 2, Preparing the Educators Texas Needs (i.e., preparing and supporting teachers who identify as teachers of color or are employed in rural schools); and in the following weeks’ newsletters, we will honor EPPs that were recognized for Category 3, Preparing Educators for Long Term Success and Category 4, Innovative Educator Preparation. The full list of EPPs who were recognized for each category can be found on 2020-21 Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Commendations | Texas Education Agency.

Program Spotlight Nomination Form TEA has created a process to gather information about the wonderful practices, partnerships, and initiatives conducted by EPPs. If you would like to nominate your EPP or another EPP you’ve worked with, please complete and submit the Program Spotlight Nomination Form. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Education Specialist.

FAQs

Every newsletter we take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from EPPs. 

Q: Can candidates at my EPP complete clinical teaching in the summer months after the spring semester ends?
A: Candidates cannot complete clinical teaching during summer school because it is not a regular classroom assignment. Summer school is typically used for remediation or acceleration. They must complete clinical teaching in the Fall or Spring semesters. They must also be enrolled with the EPP and cannot complete clinical teaching after their semester ends. Reference 19 TAC §228.2(11) for the definition of clinical teaching and 19 TAC §228.35(e)(2)(A) in its entirety for clinical teaching requirements.

Q: My EPP admitted a candidate who withdrew because she was not interested and now wants to rejoin the program. Can we give her test approval, or do we have to readmit her?
A: If a candidate withdraws for any reason before being designated a finisher, the EPP must formally admit the applicant per 19 TAC §227.17 and create a new admission record after the applicant has met all current admission requirements in 19 TAC §227.10. Once a candidate withdraws from the EPP, the EPP cannot just reactivate test approvals. It is important for EPPs to work with applicants to ensure that they understand the meaning of formal admission and ramifications of leaving an EPP once formally admitted.

TEA Updates

Additional updates on initiatives and opportunities from the TEA.

New: Opportunity: Grant for Apprenticeship Programs Expansion from the US Department of Labor
There is a new grant opportunity from the US Department of Labor focused on expanding registered apprenticeship programs. For context, apprenticeships are an emerging strategy for K-12 teacher preparation, with Tennessee recently launching a K-12 teacher apprenticeship that builds on a GYO approach. Other states such as Colorado and New York are supporting these teacher apprenticeship programs as well. The Center for Education and Labor at New America, shared a blog post about the grant opportunity as well. Additionally, New America's Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) initiative is hosting a webinar on March 23rd at 2:30 pm( EST) to provide information about how the grant could be used to support youth apprenticeships specifically. You can register for the webinar here.

Opportunity: Center for Transforming Alterative Preparation Pathways (CTAPP) Fellowship for ACP Transformation
In Summer 2022, CTAPP at Dallas College School of Education will select up to three new educator preparation programs across Texas through a competitive application process for a $150,000 grant. As partners for the three-year Transformation Fellowship, EPPs will receive grant funding as well as technical assistance to improve, scale, and sustain novice teacher preparation for their respective ACPs.

CTAPP’s Summer 2022 Cohort emphasizes extended clinical practice for novice teacher candidates (year-long residency or enhanced student teaching for candidates) prior to serving as teacher of record. CTAPP strives to impact EPPs that serve historically marginalized PK-12 students and their communities.

Applications for the fellowship are due April 19, 2022. Please see the flyer for more information about this opportunity.

For More Information...

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 Spring and Summer 2022 edTPA Virtual Workshops and Webinars.  

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. 

Lesson Study Gateway Resources	Practice based preparation resources for virtual field-based experience: Provides model lessons and video of instructional delivery.
Texas Teach Like a Champion (TLAC)	Practice based preparation resources for virtual field-based experience:  Provides content neutral pedagogical skill building through observing a model of and practicing the same high leverage skill.    Texas TLAC One Pager for EPPs

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