New: Updating Your EPP’s Legal Authority, Primary Point of Contact, & Backup Legal Authorities  
As we enter the summer months, many EPPs experience staff changes. Please notify TEA if your EPP has changes in Legal Authority, Primary Point of Contact, Back-Up Legal Authority, or Certification Officer. Send all updates to Preparation Programs in the TEA Help Desk. We will update TEA records and respond to you with any additional information your EPP will need to establish your new staff in these roles.  

Reminder: Special Education (SPED) EC-12 and Special Education Supplemental Certificate Replacement Reminders 

The Special Education EC-12 and Special Education Supplemental certificates are being replaced by the Special Education Specialist EC-12 certificate. The Special Education Specialist EC-12 exam 186 will replace both exams 161 and 163.  

• The last date a candidate can test for the expiring exams is August 31, 2025.  

• Candidates for certification in Special Education EC-12 or Special Education Supplemental must meet all requirements and submit a complete application by September 1, 2026.  

• The last date a candidate can be recommended for certification by an EPP using passing scores on Exam 161 or 163 is September 1, 2026.  

• The new exam 186 launches September 2, 2025.  

Beginning September 2, 2026, the Special Education Specialist EC-12 will require a passing score on exam 186.  

New: Insight to Impact Dashboards Team to Host August Sign-up Event  
On Thursday, August 28, from 10-11 a.m. CT, the I2I Dashboards Team will host the next Dashboards Sign-up Event to help guide the EPP community through the process of requesting access to the I2I dashboards. This event was designed for EPP employees who do not yet have access to the I2I dashboards and would like direct support in the process.  

This webinar will be the second in a quarterly cadence of sign-up events that will provide the EPP community with the opportunity to learn more about the steps in the process, including dedicated time to request access to the dashboards and roles pertinent to their work and time with our team to troubleshoot issues.  

Use this registration link for the sign-up event and feel free to share this invitation widely with your EPP community to ensure that all who are eligible and would benefit from using dashboard data to make programmatic decisions have appropriate access. For those who missed the first sign-up event in June and would like to follow along with the video, please feel free to click here for the recording. 

For other events regarding the I2I Dashboards, check out the newly posted I2I Communications Calendar on the I2I Academy website. 

Q: Can a formal observation cycle serve as a performance gate?  

A: Yes, as long as it meets the requirements outlined in 19 TAC §228.65(c) & (f), Residency: Performance Gates. The EPP that has an SBEC-approved residency should implement the residency as approved and should implement the Performance Gates as approved in the application. 

Q: What happens if a candidate completes the residency year but at the end of the year has not met all requirements? Do they have to repeat their residency year or is there another option? [19 TAC §228.65(f) & (g)] 

A: The candidate must complete all requirements of a clinical experience, demonstrate proficiency, and receive a recommendation of successful clinical experience from the campus staff supporting the candidate and from the EPP field supervisor. There is nothing in TAC that prevents the candidate from completing an extended clinical experience in order to give the candidate the opportunity to meet all programmatic requirements. The type and duration of extended clinical experience are determined by the EPP. Only a successful residency experience will lead to an enhanced standard certificate. 

As an Educator Preparation Program, your main point of contact is your Education Specialist.   

• View a list of EPPs and their assigned Education Specialist.
• For most efficient assistance, please submit a Help Desk ticket to Preparation Programs.   
• EPPs may contact their assigned Education Specialist directly via phone or email. 
• Candidates may call (512) 936-8400 and select Option #2: Educator Preparation and Certification for assistance.  
• 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. 
• Option 2: Educator Preparation and Certification  
• Option 3: Fingerprinting  
• Option 6: Investigations 

The Teal Account Access team and Educator Testing team are available through the Help Desk. Links to both teams are below. 

• TEAL Account Access Help Desk  
• Educator Testing Help Desk