 Welcome
This newsletter compiles the most up-to-date information concerning what EPPs need to know to best support their faculty/instructors, staff, and candidates. Please thoroughly read all the sections for reminders, upcoming events, To Dos, and FAQs.
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Educator Preparation Program Listserv Registration
Updates related to Educator Standards and Certification Testing
Reminder: Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) EPP Development Team Selection, On-boarding, and Training Grant FAQ Submission Reminder
The last date to submit questions for inclusion in the FAQ for the 2024-2025 Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) EPP Development Team Selection, Onboarding, and Training Grant is Wednesday, February 5, 2025. This grant application can be found on the TEA Grant Opportunities page which includes relevant timelines and FAQ submission and posting details.
Updates related to actions by the State Board for Educator Certification, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature.
New: Chapters 228 and 234 SBEC Rule Adoptions Complete Final Review by the SBOE
On Friday, January 31, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBOE) took no action on the revisions in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapters 228 and 234 that were adopted in December by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The updated rules will become effective March 11, 2025, but until then you can review the new requirements in the December 6, 2024 SBEC items 5 and 6.
New: Upcoming SBEC Meeting on Feb. 14th
The next SBEC Meeting is scheduled for February 14, 2025 and will begin at 8:30 am.
Updates related to agency initiatives and opportunities
New: Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Reviewer Recruitment
The State Board of Education’s Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) cycle is beginning, and the IMRA team is seeking qualified reviewers. IMRA Cycle 2025 will focus on K–12 full-subject, tier-one and supplemental mathematics, K–6 full-subject, tier-one English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR), and K–3 partial-subject, tier-one English and Spanish phonics. Interested Texas residents with or without this specific content expertise are also needed for suitability reviews.
As part of these selective groups, IMRA reviewers make a significant impact on Texas public education while working with a collaborative group of dedicated educators from across the state. IMRA reviewers earn a competitive stipend and, for educators, continuing professional education (CPE) credits for their contributions to this statewide initiative.
If interested, please review the IMRA reviewer job description and complete the initial application. Applications will be reviewed and advanced on a rolling basis until February 24, 2025. Office hours for the IMRA 2025 will be held on Mondays from 5:00-5:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. through February 20 and will provide an overview of the work and answer questions you may have. (Note: The session for February 17 will be held on February 18 due to the Presidents’ Day holiday.)
Reminder: Texas Strategic Staffing Webinar
The second informational webinar for the 25-27 Texas Strategic Staffing Grant for Sustainable, Paid Teacher Residency will take place on February 6, 2025 at 9:00 am CST. Register here. As a reminder, this is a grant for LEAs that includes, among other supports, funds for contracted services with an EPP to support residency field supervisor work in SY 2026-2027. Review the Program Guidelines and submit questions to william.sea@tea.texas.gov before February 4, 2025, if you would like them answered in the webinar.
We take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from .
Q: Our EPP has recently been approved for the residency route (47) for specific certificates. What do we need to do to correct admission and enrollment records for admitted candidates who are transferring into the residency route?
A: If your EPP received approval from the SBEC to offer route 47 Residency (RSD), and you are transferring admitted candidates into the Residency route, the EPP does not need to change the admission record for candidates for the transferring candidates. The EPP should update the enrollment record on the Finisher Records List to reflect the correct route for those candidates.
Q: If a candidate in our EPP has requested in writing to change to a new certificate category, does our EPP need to create a new admission record for the new certificate category?
A: No, once a candidate is admitted, a new admission record is not required if the candidate is approved by the EPP to change to the new certificate category. The EPP should update the enrollment record on the Finisher Records List to reflect the correct certificate category. Note the requirements in 19 TAC §228.31(f) that must be met, effective 9/1/2024, for the EPP to approve a candidate to change to a new certificate category: 1) the candidate would meet the requirements for admission under 19 TAC §227.10 in the requested new certificate category; 2) the EPP provides coursework and training in the educator standards and test framework competencies related to the requested new certificate category; and 3) the EPP ensures that the candidate is adequately prepared to pass the appropriate content pedagogy examination(s) required for the requested new certificate category.
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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View a list of EPPs and their assigned Education Specialist.
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For most efficient assistance, please submit a Help Desk ticket to Preparation Programs.
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EPPs may contact their assigned Education Specialist directly via phone or email.
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Candidates may call (512) 936-8400 and select Option #2: Educator Preparation and Certification for assistance.
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Updated: If EPPs (and candidates) would like to speak to a representative from another area(s), they may call (512) 936-8400 and select one of the options listed below.
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Option 2: Educator Preparation and Certification
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Option 3: Fingerprinting
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Option 6: Investigations
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