 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
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Topic
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Description
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Event Date & Time
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165 Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental
EC-12 Exam Constructed Response Item (CRI) Deep Dive and Preparation Manual Overview Webinar
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The webinar will provide an in-depth look into the exam’s newly developed constructed response items (CRIs) and review the structure and content of the exam preparation manual.
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11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CST
Virtual
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Exam Launch Reminders and Resources
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186 Special Education Specialist EC-12
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165 Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental
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Core Subjects Redesign, Phase 1
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Core with Fine Arts/Health/PE
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Core with Special Education
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Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) (pending SBEC action)
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Core Subjects Redesign,
Phase 2
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Core with Bilingual Education Spanish
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187 Bilingual Special Education
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Updates related to the PREP Program Allotment
New: PREP Office Hours
Join us for our first PREP Office Hours session! This session is open to anyone involved with the PREP Program Allotment. It will include breakout rooms for each of the three PREP Programs (GYO, Residency, and Mentorship) along with a breakout room dedicated to the PREP Allotment Planning Tool. Registered attendees can come and go as they please and attend as many breakout rooms as they’d like on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM.
DID YOU KNOW?
With PREP Residency and PREP Grow Your Own pathways beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, school system and EPP partnerships should be communicating regarding their partnership agreements. Examples and templates are available on the PREP Program Website. The completed documents will be uploaded by the school system as part of the Verification of Participation in May.
Information on all things related to PREP partnerships can be found by accessing the PREP Program Website. This website is updated regularly, so please bookmark it and check back on a regular basis! We also encourage you to register for the new PREP Program Newsletter.
Updates related to Insight to Impact
Reminder: Observation Dashboard Milestone Reached
With the assistance of Dashboard Governance Committee (DGC) members, the Insight to Impact (I2I) Observation Dashboard has reached yet another milestone recently. Lone Star College, Urban Teachers, Texas State University, Texas A&M International, and Texas A&M Central Texas comprised the subset of DGC members willing to conduct user acceptance testing (UAT) for the dashboard application’s development.
Since feedback from the field is fundamental to ensuring optimal outcomes with the technology, the I2I Dashboards Team deeply appreciated the DGC members’ invaluable feedback, which helped test the application’s functionality. Now that this round of testing, which began on March 9 and concluded on March 31, has been completed, the team is working towards launch in Summer 2026.
Reminder: I2I Dashboards Data Treasure Hunt: Candidate Characteristics
TEA recently hosted an Insight to Impact Dashboards (I2I) training on how to get the most out of the Candidate Characteristics Dashboard. To ensure that the lesson sticks, we created a fun, interactive “treasure hunt” for EPP staff to practice finding actionable insights about their respective programs. Those who complete the treasure hunt and email TEA will not only be featured in the EPP Newsletter but also receive a prize (in addition to a hard-earned high-five)!
Reminder: Dashboards Sign-up Event Video Posted
For those who missed the March 26 Insight to Impact Dashboards Sign-up Event, you’re in luck. The recorded event video is now posted for members of the EPP community who would like to learn more about the steps needed to receive dashboard access, depending on roles pertinent to their work.
Feel free to share this video 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.
Updates related to agency initiatives and opportunities
New: EPP Content Upgrades for PREP: Apply to Join the Content Review Focus Group
Educator Preparation Program (EPP) faculty, staff, and leaders are invited to apply to participate in the EPP Content Review Focus Group, part of the EPP Content Upgrades for PREP initiative. Participants will review newly revised Texas Reading and Math Academies content for EPPs, providing feedback on practice-based learning, usability in preparation coursework, and alignment to evidence-based instruction and the science of learning.
We take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from .
Q: Must candidates in our EPP sign the Exit Policy at admission?
A: Yes. Each candidate must review and sign your EPPs exit policy upon admission. The policy must, at minimum: 1) Be published; and 2) Identify a point of dismissal for inactive candidates after no more than two years of inactivity. University-based EPPs may adopt their institution’s policy. Reference the complete citation in 19 TAC §228.31(b).
Q: We are a university-based EPP and our point of dismissal for inactive candidates is longer than two years. Is that acceptable?
A: Yes. An exit policy at a university-based EPP may be longer than 2 years if the EPP has adopted its institution’s policy. The policy must be applied equitably, and each candidate must sign it at admission. Reference the complete citation in 19 TAC §228.31(b).
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.
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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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