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Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter
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Welcome
"Football is like life. It requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority." – Vince Lombardi
While spring football is in full swing, with many teams showing off their talent and the hard work that they put in during the “off season,” we could certainly substitute “football” for the words “education,” “teaching,” “learning,” and/or “instruction.” We have all spent countless hours working and reworking assignments, lessons, lectures, etc. ensuring that we provide our students with the very best; so that as our students succeed, we can celebrate as if we have won the Super Bowl (or National Championship). May we all continue to work hard knowing that this is the work truly makes a difference!
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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.
Topic: Task 4 Deep Dive (Elementary Education Only)
Description: In this workshop, a member of the edTPA National Academy (affiliated with a Texas Educator Preparation Program) will guide participants through a close examination of the Elementary Education: Task 4 Mathematics and its rubrics, providing a deeper dive into what candidates are asked to think about, do, and write as well as how candidate portfolios will be evaluated.
Event Date: April 15, 2022
Event Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Register here)
Topic: edTPA 101
Description: This webinar is for faculty, instructors, supervisors, and P-12 partners who support teacher candidates and are new to edTPA. In this edTPA 101 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: April 20, 2022
Event Time: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Register here)
Topic: Part 4 of Implementation Series: Learning from edTPA Evidence
Description: In this webinar series, an edTPA National Academy Member (affiliated with a Texas Educator Preparation Program) will orient participants to the subject-specific, performance-based assessment edTPA; provide examples of best practices to effectively implement edTPA; identify strategies when supporting candidates during instruction and implementation; and describe methods for using and learning from edTPA evidence. This series will be offered three times between January and July 2022.
Event Date: April 21, 2022
Event Time: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Register here)
Topic: edTPA Handbook and Rubric Deep Dive
Description: In this workshop, a member of the edTPA National Academy (affiliated with a Texas Educator Preparation Program) will guide participants through a close examination of the edTPA tasks and rubrics, providing a deeper dive into what candidates are asked to think about, do, and write for each task as well as how candidate portfolios will be evaluated. Additionally, several instrumental resources will be shared along with best practices from successful implementation.
Event Date: April 25, 2022
Event Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Register here)
Topic: P-12 Partner Engagement & Support
Description: In this webinar, Texas EPPs and their school partners will share their purposeful, collaborative work to support teacher candidates. Session facilitators will also share how edTPA supports a rigorous and meaningful experience for teacher candidates and P-12 students.
Event Date: April 28, 2022
Event Time: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Register here)
Additional edTPA Workshops and Webinars:
To find information about the workshops and webinars that will be offered from May through July 2022, please see Spring and Summer 2022 edTPA Virtual Workshops and Webinars. Please note: 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.
Topic: Vetted Teacher Residency Program Application
Action: Open Application, not required.
Due Date: March 22, 2022- April 12, 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
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Your best source for information and support at the TEA.
As an Educator Preparation Program, your main point of contact is your Education Specialist.
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For easiest assistance, file a HelpDesk Ticket.
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Or, EPPs (and candidates) may call (512) 936-8400 and select Option #5: Educator Preparation Programs. If an Education Specialist is not available to answer the call at that time, please leave a voicemail. An Education Specialist will promptly return the call.
If EPPs (and candidates) would like to speak to a representative from another area(s), they may submit a Help Desk Ticket or contact (512) 936-8400 and select one of the options listed below.
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Option 2: Educator Certification
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Option 3: Fingerprinting
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Option 6: Investigations
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Option 8: General Office Information
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New: Soon-to-be-Released Dyslexia Training
TEALearn has a new dyslexia training that will be made available to teacher candidates (at no cost) on Friday, April 15, 2022. Information on how to access and complete the training will be shared with EPPs and candidates by Friday, April 15, 2022.
The dyslexia training was developed in coordination with the Meadows Center (Sharon Vaughn and Jennifer Schnakenberg) as well as Perry Zirkel (Lehigh University). The purpose of this course is to empower educators to serve and advocate for students with or at risk for dyslexia. This course aligns with TEC §21.044(b) and consists of four modules (see below) that include training regarding new research and practices in educating students with dyslexia which meet the requirement for an educator who teaches students with dyslexia (see TEC §21.054(b)).
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Module 1: Learn more about what dyslexia is and how it impacts student learning.
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Module 2: Explore effective schoolwide practices for the identification and support of students with dyslexia.
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Module 3: Learn more about how to support students with dyslexia in the classroom through systematic, explicit, and evidence-based instruction designed to meet the needs of students with dyslexia.
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Module 4: Reflect on your learning, create a personal action plan, and review resources.
New: Changes in EPP Staff
It is that time of the year again when EPP Legal Authority (LA) and Back-Up Legal Authority (BULA) may need to be updated. If your EPP has a new LA or BULA, please contact your Education Specialist to request a template letter to make the change. Please ensure that TEA also has the EPP current address and phone number by including this information in your request. Once the change request has been completed, please submit it directly to Vanessa.alba@tea.texas.gov and copy your assigned Education Specialist.
If your EPP has new staff that needs ECOS for Entities access, please direct them to Secure Applications and scroll to ECOS for Entities to download the instructions before submitting the request. The request will go to the EPP’s LA/BULA for approval before being directed to TEA for final approval. After TEA approves the request, the new staff will be added to ECOS for Entities.
New: ECOS Updates
Updates to ECOS are scheduled for release on April 21, 2022. These updates include the following items of interest to EPPs:
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Test Search: We are improving this feature so results correctly display for EPP candidates based on the parameters set in the search page.
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Test approval pages: We are removing old tests from the test approval page. Only tests that are currently being administered will now display on the picklist.
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View Pass Rates screen: We are cleaning up the listed tests, so only those used for determination of pass rate are displayed.
New: 2022 Vetted Principal Residency Program List Application
TEA has opened the next cycle of the Vetted Principal Residency Program application for EPPs that are implementing principal residency models. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants will receive communication about their application status accordingly.
EPPs designated as vetted principal residency programs during the Spring 2022 application cycle are eligible to partner with awarded school districts who may be looking for EPP partnerships to leverage principal residency grant funds during principal residency grant cycle 6 for the 2023-2024 academic year. Application for the principal residency grant cycle 6 (district-facing) will open in early Fall 2022.
Key Application Information:
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Application Materials: The 2022 Vetted Principal Residency Program Application Request includes application directions, submission checklists, EPP Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) and the link to the application. There is also a video application overview walking through the major components of the application.
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Application Submission Timeline: 4/12/22- 5/09/22
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Final Application Status Communication: May 30, 2022, though all applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
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FAQ Submission Information: Please email any questions to principalresidency@tea.texas.gov by April 19, 2022. Your questions will then be populated into an FAQ that will be posted soon to the page Program Provider Resources.
Updated: 2022 Vetted Teacher Residency Program List Application [Application Extended to: 4/19/22]
Note: The Vetted Teacher Residency Application has been extended one week to 4/19/22.
TEA has opened the next cycle of the Vetted Teacher Residency Program application for EPPs that are actively implementing high-quality teacher residency models with existing district partnerships. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants will receive communication about their application status accordingly.
Currently, 15 approved programs are supporting over 90 districts across Texas in the Texas Covid Learning Acceleration Support (TCLAS) Grant Decision 5: Residency Program Support. These programs and their partner districts are working together to build sustainable residency programs throughout the three-year grant cycle (Fall 2021-Spring 2024). EPPs designated as vetted teacher residency programs during the Spring 2022 application cycle are eligible to partner with TCLAS Decision 5 awarded districts who may be looking for additional EPP partnerships to leverage current grant funds during years 2-3 of the grant cycle. Please note: Currently, there are no plans to open additional competitive grant applications for teacher residency funds.
Key Application Information:
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Application Materials: The 2022 Vetted Teacher Residency Program Application Materials document includes application directions, submission checklists, and the link to the application.
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Application Submission Timeline: 3/22/22- 4/19/22 [timeline extended]
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Final Application Status Communication: April 30, 2022, though all applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Reminder: Effective Preparation Framework Development Underway
Work is currently underway in Texas to develop the Effective Preparation Framework – a framework that distinguishes effective preparation practices that yield improved outcomes for school children, future educators, local school districts, and EPPs.
In July 2021, the SBEC directed TEA staff to begin the process of developing an Effective Preparation Framework and engage a diverse set of stakeholders in the development processes. Since that time, the Educator Preparation Advisory Committee (EPAC), the SBEC’s standing advisory committee, has provided input on the components of an Effective Preparation Framework. In January 2022, members of the EPAC were asked to bring these draft components to their professional organizations and colleagues to solicit additional specificity and input. The goal of this process is to ensure that the diverse set of educator preparation stakeholders are able to provide meaningful feedback on the content of the framework early in the development process.
TEA staff has asked EPAC members to provide feedback collected from their professional organizations and colleagues by April 21, 2022. Please see the February 2022 SBEC item for additional information on the development process and the list of EPAC members. There will be additional opportunities to weigh in on the Effective Preparation Framework content over the course of spring and fall 2022, which will be shared via the newsletter.
Updates related to Educator Standards and Certification Testing
Final Exam Frameworks Available
All new assessments will have frameworks released about 12-18 months before the scheduled launch date announced on the Teacher Certification Redesign page. This marks the time to begin implementing changes to your internal systems and curriculum. Final exam frameworks are available for the exams below, and one-page informational documents will be available soon.
ETS PASL Spring Submission Deadline
All tasks and artifacts must be submitted by 2 p.m. ET on April 19, 2022. If a candidate misses the task deadline, they will receive a score of zero for the task(s) not submitted.
If a deadline is missed, they are not eligible for fee refunds.
DID YOU KNOW?
Pearson testing centers may adhere to federal, state, local, or tribal guidelines and may require proof of vaccination status.
To find out if your candidate’s test center has a vaccination requirement prior to scheduling an appointment, carefully have them review the Test Center Information as displayed in the seat search tool.
Candidates who do not comply with testing center guidelines at any test center will not be permitted to test, and refunds will not be issued.
In each newsletter, we aim to celebrate the great work from EPPs around Texas.
We would like to recognize and celebrate the EPPs recognized in the 2020-2021 Educator Preparation Program Commendations Category 4: Innovative Educator Preparation Program Practices. This year the SBEC sought to recognize EPPs that engaged in comprehensive partnerships with LEAs to support district-specific needs in one or more of the following areas:
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supporting districts and mentor teachers through the pandemic;
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accelerating learning in response to COVID-related learning loss;
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addressing staffing challenges; and/or
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implementing best practices that emerged from EPP and/or district responses to the COVID pandemic.
Please join us in celebrating Sam Houston State University and University of Texas – San Antonio as the 2020-21 recipients of Commendation 4: Innovative Educator Preparation Program Practices!
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.
Every newsletter we take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from EPPs.
Q: Since non-teacher programs now report observations to ECOS, will non-teacher observation data be included in the mid-term reports, if we enter them before the mid-year reports are created? Or will the mid-year data reports reflect teacher data only?
A: The mid-year observation data spreadsheet included teacher observations only. This aligns with the final ASEP calculations. TEA has created a ASEP Mid-Year Update Webinar 2022 and ASEP Mid-Year Update 2022 FAQ to help EPPs navigate the mid-year data sets.
Q: Where can I find the resources for how to submit a certificate correction and a deactivation?
A: The Program Provider Resources page on the TEA website has the webinar and FAQ document posted for the Certificate Correction, Deactivation, and Reactivation Processes Webinar. This webinar was held on December 1, 2021 and covered the processes for Certificate Corrections, Deactivations, Reactivations, and Data Fixes to the Finisher Record List. The webinar and FAQ are posted under the “EPP Training Events and Materials” tab and additional resources are posted under the “Forms and Documents” tab on the Program Provider Resources page.
Additional updates on initiatives and opportunities from the TEA.
Teacher Vacancy Task Force
TEA established the Teacher Vacancy Task Force to address ongoing staffing concerns that have been exacerbated by both population growth and the wide-ranging disruptions of a two-year-long pandemic. The Teacher Vacancy Task Force is working to find teacher-shaped solutions to these challenges - blending a variety of perspectives and experiences from current classroom teachers and school administrators - into thoughtful policy recommendations and an innovative way forward that firmly supports the needs of our teachers. For more information, please go to Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview.
Information regarding the Science of Teaching Reading Exam can be accessed at tea.texas.gov/str.
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.
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The Texas Education Agency will improve outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.
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