February 18, 2026: Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter

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Texas Education Agency

February 18, 2026

Texas Educator Preparation Programs Newsletter

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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.   

If you are not currently subscribed to the newsletter, please sign up at the link below.    

Educator Preparation Program Listserv Registration


Upcoming Events


Topic   

Description 

Event Date & Time 

Insight to Impact Dashboards Training Session 

The I2I Dashboards Team will host its latest comprehensive training, a deep dive into the Candidate Characteristics Dashboard, which features program status, completion rates, certification rates, and more.  

Thursday, 
February 26. 2026
 
3:00 – 4:00 PM CST 
via ZOOM 

 

Exam Launch Overview

Exam Launch Reminders and Resources  

Year 

Exam  

Resources  

2025 

186 Special Education Specialist EC-12 

185 Deafblind EC-12 

2026 

165 Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental 

2027 

Core Subjects Redesign,  Phase 1 

  • Core EC-6 
  • Core with Fine Arts/Health/PE 
  • Core with Special Education 

Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) (pending SBEC action) 

2028 

Core Subjects Redesign,   
Phase 2
 

  • Core with Bilingual Education Spanish 
  • Core with ESL 

254 ESL Supplemental 

187 Bilingual Special Education 


Educator Preparation Program Support

Updates related to Educator Preparation Program Management 

New: Updated ASEP Dashboards NOW LIVE 
The Accountability System for Educator Preparation dashboard has now been updated to reflect accreditation statuses approved by the SBEC at their February meeting, along with indicator results from the 2024-2025 school year. This update includes the launch of the Indicator 3 Student Growth dashboard. With this launch, all ASEP data is now available via these dashboards. 


Updates about SBEC, Rules, and Legislation 

Updates related to actions by the State Board for Educator Certification, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature.   

Reminder: Website Update: Approved Districts Delaying Teacher Certification Requirements
Information regarding districts approved to delay implementation of teacher certification requirements for foundation curriculum courses until the beginning of the 2029-2030 academic year is now available on the Certification | Texas Education Agency webpage. This webpage includes aalphabetical list of approved districts, along with links to each district’s locally approved transition planDistrict staff interested in reviewing examples of plans approved in other districts may visit these links to see how they are approaching their transition to full certification by the statutory deadline.


Insight to Impact Updates

Updates related to Insight to Impact 

New: Five Essential Data Day Training Takeaways
Scheduling a “Data Day” can be a vital tool for EPPs seeking to bring their data to life and create informed change. During the Insight to Impact Dashboard Team’s January 29, 2026, Insight to Impact Data Day Training Session, three expert panelists from a range of diverse EPPs provided their respective insights on developing a “Data Day.” 

This latest blog reveals five essential takeaways from the session that EPPs can use to design a successful “Data Day.” 

New: Secure Your Seat for Candidate Characteristics Training
On Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 3:00 – 4:00 PM CST, the I2I Dashboards Team will host its latest comprehensive training, a deep dive into the Candidate Characteristics Dashboard. The Candidate Characteristics Dashboard is a series of data visualizations that features characteristics of candidates by program status, completion rates for enrolled candidates over time, certification rates for enrolled candidates over time, and, depending on your role, individual details of candidates’ enrollment, completion, and certification. 

The training is the latest in a series of opportunities designed to assist EPPs with improved data comprehension, analysis, and application within the I2I Dashboards. The goal is to create a supportive community where EPPs can routinely share and tackle problems, provide insights and solutions, and receive value from the data. 

Feel free to share this invitation widely with your EPP community to ensure that all who use the dashboard data have the opportunity to benefit. We look forward to having you attend the training! 

This also marks an opportunity for EPP staff to claim a square on the Insight to Impact Bingo Card! The I2I Dashboards Team created the I2I Bingo Card to make training resources more engaging and enjoyable for those looking to master the dashboards. Each activity takes no more than 15 minutes and is comprehensively designed to build your skills step-by-step through the entirety of the dashboards. 

In addition, if you complete a bingo, you can win TEA recognition in the EPP Newsletter and prizes! Let’s see who the first person will be to complete a bingo or an entire blackout of their card! Download the bingo card now and register here for the training! 

New: Known Issues Resolution: Exam Pass Rates: 2/12/26
Exam Pass Rates for 2024-25 are now available within the I2I dashboards. The Exam Pass Rates Dashboard is a series of data visualizations for individual EPPs that feature candidate characteristics alongside the number of attempts and pass rates for the PPR, STR, and Content exams.  For a full refresher on using this area of Insight to Impact, consult the Exam Pass Rates guide of I2I Academy.   


FAQs

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

Q: Where are the TEA-approved test preparation materials for candidates?  

A: TEA does not review or endorse test preparation material beyond what the testing company may have on its website. There are currently three testing vendors for obtaining Texas certification: PearsonETS, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).  

Q: What should candidates do if they submitted the incorrect application for certification?  

A: The candidate will need to log into TEAL and reapply for the correct certificate through the Educator account. After reapplying online, the candidate should not pay the fee; instead, they should contact Educator Certification via the TEA Help Desk and request that the payment be transferred to the new application. TEA can only transfer the fee if the amount is the same for both applications.  

 

 


EPP Points of Contact

Your best source for information and support at the TEA.   

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

  • View a list of EPPs and Education Specialist Assignments. 
  • 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. 

Help Desk Link