 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.
You may subscribe to the newsletter or access previous editions
using the links below:
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Topic
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Description
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Event Date & Time
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Join PREP Office Hours for support with key implementation tasks, including:
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ECOS data entry support for Spring 2027 start dates
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General PREP implementation questions
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Wednesday, October 21, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wednesday, December 16, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 PM
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I2I Dashboards Sign-Up Event
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The I2I Dashboards Team will host a Dashboards Sign-up Event to grant the education preparation program (EPP) community access to the dashboards.
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Thursday, October 29, 2026
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LASO Cycle 5 Webinars: Register for Upcoming Sessions
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EPPs are encouraged to register for upcoming LASO Cycle 5 webinars to prepare for the next cycle and better understand how PREP programs will be presented to school system partners. Webinar sessions will include:
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PREP Preservice: Residency, Traditional, and Alternative
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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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187 Bilingual Special Education
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Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) (pending SBEC action)
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Updated one pager anticipated Summer 2026
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- Core EC-6
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Core with Fine Arts/Health/PE
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Core with Bilingual Education Spanish
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Core with ESL
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Updates related to Educator Preparation Program Management
Reminder: EPP ASEP Technology Fee Invoices
TEA will be distributing to EPPs the ASEP Technology Fee invoices for Academic Year 2025-2026, in late October. This fee is assessed for each candidate who was admitted to your EPP between September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. The number of candidates is taken from the number of individuals reported as admitted by your EPP in ECOS. Additionally, similar to last year, admissions for the prior year who were added this year via a data fix will be included in the count. This is because they were not included in the prior year’s invoice.
The invoice will have payment information, including information about how to pay using ACH and how to submit a payment by mail. Credit cards are not accepted. Please note that ACH payment is preferred.
TEA will send the invoices to the EPP Legal Authority via email. We will also send notifications to Backup Legal Authorities and Certification Officers, to the extent that they are listed in our Contact List. Payment is due 30 days after receipt of the invoice. The Texas Administrative Code at 19 TAC §229.9 includes additional information about the ASEP Technology Fee.
Reminder: LBB Reporting
Educator preparation programs at public colleges and universities are required to report certification rates of teacher education graduates to the LBB. Information about LBB reporting was sent out to public colleges and universities on October 6, 2026. Please review that email for steps, supports, and deadlines.
Detailed guidance for using the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) to upload and retrieve your certification rate is available in the email and in the Technical Manual.
Remember, this reporting is only for public colleges and universities – if your EPP is not at a public college or university, your EPP does not complete the LBB reporting process.
Reminder: Social Security Number Required for EPP Admission
All applicants to EPPs must have a SSN to be able to set up a TEAL account and establish a TEA ID number that is required to create the admission record. EPPs should remind current candidates who may have a P-number to apply for the SSN, if they have not already done so, and to submit a Help Desk ticket with documentation to TEA to replace the P-number with the SSN.
Updates related to the PREP Program Allotment
New: LASO Cycle 5
PREP Traditional and Alternative preparation pathways are now eligible for funding opportunities through LASO Cycle 5. EPPs are encouraged to explore these opportunities and attend upcoming webinars to learn more about eligibility, application requirements, and available supports.
Reminder: PREP Participant Counts
Visit the PREP webpage to view 2026-27 PREP participant counts. These counts reflect data entered in ECOS as of September 11, 2026, and are available in the PREP Tools, Resources, and Information section of the webpage.
Reminder: LASO Cycle 5 PREP Overview Webinars
LASO Cycle 5 PREP Overview webinars will be offered to help school systems and partners understand:
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PREP Allotment programs available through LASO Cycle 5
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LASO Cycle 5 application process and timeline
Webinars are scheduled for:
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Friday, October 16th, 10:30 – 11:30 AM
PREP OFFICE HOURS
EPPs can join office hours for an opportunity to ask questions and receive implementation support.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wednesday, December 16, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Submit your questions through the PREP Help Desk at any time. Include enough detail to assist the team with identifying the issue. Screenshots or documentation may be helpful when reporting ECOS issues.
Visit the PREP Allotment webpage to find helpful program information, guidance documents, resources, and updates.
Updates related to Insight to Impact
New: Insight to Impact Dashboards Team to Host Sign-up Event
On Thursday, October 29, from 3-4 p.m. CT, the I2I Dashboards Team will host a Dashboards Sign-up Event to help guide the education preparation program (EPP) community through the process of requesting access to the I2I dashboards. This event is for EPP employees who do not yet have access to the I2I dashboards and would like direct support.
This sign-up event 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.
New: Thank You for Attending CSOTTE From the I2I Dashboards Team
CSOTTE, which is dedicated to the support and refinement of professional preparation and development programs for all certified school personnel in Texas, hosted its annual conference October 11-13, 2026, in Denton, Texas.
The Insight to Impact Dashboards Team would like to extend its gratitude to all the EPP community who attended our presentation entitled, Transforming Educator Preparation: Leveraging the I2I Observation Tool for Targeted Candidate Support and Data-Driven Programmatic Improvements training on Tuesday.
We take this space to highlight questions that we have heard from EPPs.
Q: Can you explain the 50 FBE hour substitution in the new TAC?
A: An EPP may allow a candidate to substitute service as a teacher of record for the required 50 field-based experience (FBE) hours if the candidate was employed as an uncertified teacher for at least the full school year preceding the issuance of the intern certificate. This option is available only to candidates admitted into the EPP on or after September 1, 2024. In practice, this means that a candidate who served as an uncertified teacher of record for the entire school year immediately preceding the issuance of the intern certificate may not need to complete the 50 FBE hours because that teacher-of-record experience may be accepted in lieu of the field-based experiences required by 19 TAC §228.43. The EPP is responsible for verifying that the candidate meets all eligibility requirements for the substitution, including confirming the candidate's employment as an uncertified teacher for the full preceding school year. The EPP must also maintain documentation and records supporting the substitution in the candidate's file.
Q: Can a candidate use teacher-of-record experience from several years ago to substitute for the 50 FBE hours?
A: No. Under 19 TAC §228.35(b), the candidate must have been employed as an uncertified teacher for at least the full school year immediately preceding the issuance of the intern certificate. Earlier teacher-of-record experience that is not from the preceding school year does not meet the requirements of this substitution. 19 TAC §228.35(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.
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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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