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Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter
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Welcome
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.” – Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins has always been one of my favorite movies because it shows simple yet magical ways to make even the most mundane task exciting. Plus, they sing, and everything is better with a song. For me, summertime is the Mary Poppins of seasons. The weather is nice, the sun is out most days, and stress seems to be more manageable. Summer is also the season of training, learning, renovating and planning for what is next. Even though it is still work, it is exciting because it’s a time to be creative. I challenge you this summer to find the fun in work related task(s)!
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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.
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edTPA Implementation Series Part 4: Learning from edTPA
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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.
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New: edTPA Handbook and Rubric Deep Dive
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This workshop is intended for faculty, instructors, supervisors, and school partners who support teacher candidates. 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. Furthermore, this session will provide guidelines and best practices for supporting candidates as they prepare for edTPA within participants’ program context.
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New: edTPA 101: Orientation to Performance-Based, Subject-Specific Assessment
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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.
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New: Webinar Series: edTPA Implementation, Support for the Change Process
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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.
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New: Academic Language in edTPA: Supporting Learning and Language Development
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This workshop is intended for faculty, instructors, supervisors, and school partners who support teacher candidates. In this workshop, a member of the edTPA National Academy (affiliated with a Texas Educator Preparation Program) will provide participants with an overview of academic language and demonstrate how academic language is an integral construct in edTPA through the lens of equitable instructional practices.
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Texas Educator Residency Summit
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Additional edTPA Workshops and Webinars: To find information about the workshops and webinars that will be offered between June and 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.
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Resubmission Scores updated in ECOS
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New Introductory Passing Standard
(Below committee recommendation)
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School Counselor Certification
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Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #152
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Trade & Industrial Education 6-12 Certification
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Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #270
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Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #117
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Last day to apply and recommend for certification using #291
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(At committee recommendation)
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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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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: Education Specialist Assignments
The Education Specialist Assignments have been updated on the Program Provider Resources page, and the list can be found under Forms and Documents. In the list, you will notice that The Educator Preparation Team has welcomed their newest colleague, Melonie Godeaux, who is incredibly excited with the opportunity to work with and support her assigned EPPs. Melonie comes to TEA with over 18 years of educational experience and has served in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, mentor, curriculum writer, instructional specialist, advanced academics coordinator, and campus administrator. Please join us in welcoming Melonie!
New: Field-Based Experiences
As candidates are completing their preservice requirements in preparation for entering the classroom in the fall, here are some reminders about field-based experiences (FBE) activities. 19 TAC §228.35(b)(1) and §228.35(e)(1) require an EPP to provide candidates at least 30 clock-hours of early field-based experiences prior to beginning clinical teaching or internship. At least 15 hours of those experiences must be interactive with students in a classroom setting. The other 15 may be interactive but they may also be observations in a classroom setting or may be completed by viewing videos of students receiving instruction in a classroom setting. The teachers responsible for the instructional settings in which the FBE occur must be content-certified teachers. If the EPP allows FBE hours to be completed in a summer school setting, then the EPP must verify the FBE activity meets the requirements:
(i) authentic school settings in a public school accredited by the TEA or other school approved by the TEA for this purpose;
(ii) instruction by content certified teachers;
(iii) actual students in classrooms/instructional settings with identity-proof provisions;
(iv) content or grade-level specific classrooms/instructional settings; and
(v) written reflection of the observation.
The FBE rules require the FBE activities to be “under the direction of the EPP.” Some EPPs guide candidates by providing a list of options for interaction with students and options for what they want candidates to look for in an observation. Some examples of acceptable interactive activities that we have heard from EPPs are that candidates may participate in, or facilitate, small groups, labs, or tutoring (one on one or in groups), may teach all or part of a lesson to students, or facilitate cooperative learning teams.
Strong partnerships between EPPs and the districts they serve promote and support communications and expectations around FBE requirements.
End-of-Semester Reminders
As the academic year is wrapping up and candidates are completing their clinical teaching, internship, or practicum requirements, it is a great time to engage in some record-keeping. Listed below are some end-of-semester reminders that can be completed now.
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Collect and retain the recommendations of a successful clinical experience from the field supervisor and appropriate campus personnel.
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Update the Finisher Records List with candidate status.
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Upload observations for each candidate.
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Ensure an admission record was created for each candidate.
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Remind candidates about expiring exams and encourage them to work to achieve certification prior to the identified deadline(s). Please see the newsletter section, Upcoming Deadlines, that includes the last day to apply and recommend candidates for exams that will soon expire.
Vetted Teacher Residency Program List: 2022 Approved Programs
Congratulations to all programs who have been newly approved to the Texas Vetted Teacher Residency Program List for 2022! These programs are now eligible partners for districts seeking additional EPP partners for existing state grant opportunities aimed at building sustainable teacher residencies.
Title II IPRC Reporting portal now open
The Title II website is now available for all EPPs to complete their required federal reporting. All EPP Title II representatives should have received notification via email. If your EPP’s Title II reporting lead did not receive an email, please reach out to title2@rti.org.
To begin, please log in to the system. Go to https://title2.ed.gov/ and select "Submit Reports" in the upper righthand corner of the webpage. Your username and password remain the same. To recover a username or password, select "Forgot your username or password?" and enter your email. To add a user, email title2@rti.org with Name, Title, Institution, Phone, and Email.
For support in completing this report, please visit https://title2.ed.gov/Public/TA.aspx for links to a Glossary of Key Terms and Reporting Requirements. A new user manual will be added soon. Instructions are included in the reporting instrument. If you have specific questions, please email title2@rti.org.
This reporting is due June 30. As a reminder, TEA does not provide technical support for this required federal reporting. We do, however, monitor EPP completion to ensure that all EPPs are in compliance with this requirement.
Updates related to Educator Standards and Certification Testing
DID YOU KNOW?
Candidates are responsible for ensuring that the name shown in their testing account matches (excluding suffix, middle name or initial, spaces, and special characters such as hyphens, accents, and apostrophes) the first and last name on the ID documents that will be presented at the test center.
If their ID documents do not match the first and last name used when they registered, they will be prohibited from testing and their exam fees will be forfeited.
A name change request can be submitted via the TEA Help Desk at least 12 business days before their exam date.
Updates related to actions by the State Board for Educator Certification, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature.
Bilingual Special Education Educator Standards Advisory Committee Application
At the April 29, 2022 SBEC meeting, the SBEC approved TEA staff to establish an Educator Standards Advisory Committee for the Bilingual Special Education certificate area in response to HB 2256, which requires the implementation of a new Bilingual Special Education educator certificate. This new certification area would ensure that there are teachers with special training in providing instruction to students of limited English proficiency with disabilities.
The Bilingual Special Education Educator Standards Advisory Committee (BSE-ESAC) will:
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Develop educator standards aligned with statute
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Advise on issues related to the certificate area more broadly
TEA staff is seeking committee member applications from the SBEC, professional organizations, educator preparation programs, teacher organizations, and other key stakeholders to ensure the selection represents a diverse group of highly qualified educators. The application submission period begins on May 2, 2022 and ends June 1, 2022.
The application for the Bilingual Special Education Educator Standards Advisory Committee can be accessed by selecting the link- https://forms.office.com/r/gFisJFqbFN. All applications should be submitted via the application link on or before the June 1, 2022 deadline.
*TEA staff will review applications, identify between 8-12 committee members, and recommend committee members to the SBEC for approval at the July 22, 2022 SBEC meeting.
In each newsletter, we aim to celebrate the great work from EPPs around Texas.
Program Spotlight Nomination Form
Thank you to the individuals who have submitted the Program Spotlight Nomination Form to celebrate high-quality educator preparation work. Beginning in summer 2022, we plan on recognizing nominated EPPs that exemplify best practices, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that enrich and support candidate development and student learning.
Every newsletter we take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from EPPs.
Q: When should my EPP make recommendations for standard certification?
A: The EPP may recommend the standard certificate on or after the date the last requirement has been met. The date the last requirement was met is entered into the recommendation screen and becomes the effective date on the standard certificate. "Requirements met" include: 1) EPP coursework and training must be complete, including the recommendation of a successful clinical experience provided by both the field supervisor and applicable campus personnel, and the candidate identified as a "finisher". Note the internship is not complete until the full school year date is reached. 2) All required tests must be passed. 3) The degree required for the certificate must be conferred. 4) If the candidate is a nonteacher candidate, then the candidate must also have met the certification and accredited years of service requirements where applicable. If all requirements are met, the EPP may recommend even if the candidate has not completed fingerprinting or paid for the application. ECOS will not allow the certificate to issue until everything is in place.
Q: Is my EPP required to submit documentation to TEA when a candidate requests a change in certificate area in writing?
A: No, nothing needs to be submitted to TEA. If a candidate is not on any type of certificate with the EPP and the written request was accepted by the EPP, the program may change the enrollment record by going to Educator Search and entering the TEA ID. Then, the program will remove the current certificate area and add a new record to add the new certificate area. Lastly, the program should remove the test approval(s) and add the new test approval(s). For reference, please see 19 TAC §228.40(c).
Additional updates on initiatives and opportunities from the TEA.
Save the Date: Texas Educator Residency Summit: June 29- June 30
Please join us for the first ever Texas Educator Residency Summit! During the Summit, you will have the opportunity to learn from local partnerships and other experts in the field about residency practices that not only prepare our Texas teachers with the tools they need but also support local teacher pipeline development. All EPPs and school partners are welcome and encouraged to attend. Whether you are planning for the next phase of scaling your residency implementation or looking to get started, there will be opportunities to learn for all. The Summit will be held virtually from June 29 – June 30. Register here for the Texas Educator Residency Summit.
TEA is Hiring – Senior Analyst for Instructional Support
The Educator Data, Research, and Strategy division is hiring a new Senior Data Analyst. This role will lead the team doing program evaluation and other analytical work to support the Instructional Support department. This department houses several initiatives, including:
This is a great career opportunity for folks who have a rich understanding of K-12 education policy and practices, solid analytical and technical skills, and skills in supporting and leading a team.
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.
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Lesson Study Gateway Resources
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Practice based preparation resources for virtual field-based experience: Provides model lessons and video of instructional delivery.
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Texas Teach Like a Champion (TLAC)
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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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PASL Videos
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TEA
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TEALearn has a new dyslexia training, TEA Dyslexia, that has been made available (at no cost) to candidates who are seeking an initial certification for all certification classes. Information about the training and how to enroll can be found on the TEA Learn platform. NOTE: For candidates who have not yet been issued an intern, probationary, or standard certificate, please follow the steps noted on the webpage, Dyslexia Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, to enroll in the course.
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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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