Subchapter M. TYPES AND CLASSES OF CERTIFICATES ISSUED

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) adopts amendments to §232.500 and §232.510, concerning the types and classes of educator certificates the Board issues, and adopts new §232.515, concerning standards for the issuance of classroom teaching certificates, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 3, 1999, issue of the Texas Register (24 TexReg 10703) and will not be republished. The SBEC also adopts the repeal of §232.520, concerning effective date, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 3, 1999, issue of the Texas Register (24 TexReg 10703) and will not be republished.

The amendments and new rules are adopted to refine the definitions of types and classes of certificates as required by statute and to establish the principles under which the Board will adopt standards for the issuance of classroom teaching certificates, including master teacher certificates.

The amendments to §232.500 and the repeal of §232.520, amend various provisions of current rules that conflict with 19 TAC Chapter 227, concerning Admission to an Educator Preparation Program and Chapter 228, concerning Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, which were adopted by the SBEC at its May 7, 1999, meeting.

The SBEC is contemporaneously adopting amendments to Chapter 230, concerning Professional Educator Preparation and Certification, elsewhere in this issue of the Texas Register . The following information pertains to the amendment of Chapter 230 as well as the amendment to §232.500 and the repeal of §232.520:

In its proposed Framework for Educator Preparation and Certification the SBEC states as an underlying assumption that "Board rules must identify a single set of standards applicable to all educator preparation programs to enhance flexibility in program delivery and to accommodate multiple routes." Consistent with that assumption, the SBEC has adopted new rules to govern admission to an educator preparation program (Chapter 227) and the operation of educator preparation programs (Chapter 228). The purpose of these new rules is to enhance flexibility and accommodate multiple approaches for the design and delivery of programs leading to certification. The rules reflect the SBEC's belief that its role is to clearly define what the candidate for certification must know and be able to do upon completing a preparation program, and to then assess the success of the program in delivering the required knowledge and skills. Who programs admit and how the expected knowledge and skills are delivered should largely be left to the discretion of each program. This approach is possible because all educator preparation programs are held accountable for their performance through the Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP), which reflects the performance of their students on the examinations required for certification.

As reflected in Chapter 227, the Board has established the minimum components of admissions policies, but does not prescribe the content of the policies. Programs must:

identify procedures to screen applications to determine appropriateness for the certificate sought;

verify college-level skills in reading, oral and written communication, critical thinking, and mathematics (note that neither an assessment nor test is mentioned);

establish academic criteria that are consistently applied to all applicants; and

develop procedures that allow admitted individuals to substitute relevant experience and training for part of the preparation requirements. (For example, a retired chemist seeking certification should be allowed to skip required coursework in chemistry.)

Under the new rules governing educator preparation programs (Chapter 228), all programs will operate under the same set of rules that accommodate different ways of delivering educator preparation to the different types of prospective educators. The elements described below are widely recognized as critical components of successful educator preparation programs and will be required of all SBEC-approved programs. The program must:

design, deliver, and evaluate educator preparation through a collaborative effort involving institutions of higher education, public and private schools, regional education service centers, and business and community interests;

base preparation on the relevant Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for each certificate;

provide ongoing and relevant field-based experiences throughout the entire program in a variety of settings with diverse student populations;

require all students to complete at least 12 weeks of a full-day teaching practicum prior to recommending students for certification;

establish benchmarks and structured assessments to measure throughout the program the progress of candidates for certification; and

continuously evaluate the design and delivery of the program's curriculum based on performance data, research-based promising practices, and internal and external assessments.

It is important to note that the new rule does not explicitly define "ongoing and relevant field-based experiences" because the SBEC recognizes that field-based experiences will be provided differently by the various preparation programs. It will be up to each program to determine what this term means for the students being served, and it is entirely possible and appropriate that "ongoing" for a college junior will be different than "ongoing" for a mid-career individual seeking certification. Further, please note that the 12-week full-day teaching practicum can be interpreted in a variety of ways and should not be thought of exclusively as the "traditional" student teaching block that occurs in the final semester of college.

By deliberately not setting explicit standards for field-based experiences, the SBEC is encouraging flexibility and creativity to allow programs to attract and serve all of the people that might be interested in seeking certification.

The specific repeals and amendments adopted in this item are as follows:

1. All requirements that prescribe a specific amount of collaboration, field-based preparation, or student teaching are proposed for repeal.

2. All provisions that reference the operation of university baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate programs, alternative certification programs (ACP), and Centers for the Professional Development of Teachers (CPDT) are proposed for repeal, except that:

the probationary certificate available to post-baccalaureate and ACP students is moved to Chapter 232, Subchapter M;

the unique teaching certificates available through ACPs are moved to Chapter 230, Subchapter G; and until September 1, 2001, institutions of higher education may apply to the Board for designation as a CPDT. (Funds were not appropriated to support the creation of additional CPDTs, however funds are available to complete the three-year funding cycle for institutions that are eligible for 2nd- and 3rd-year funding).

By repealing and amending current rules, all educator preparation programs will follow the same set of quality program standards that will assure consistency in educator preparation as well as the accountability of those programs through the Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP). While entities are held accountable, the new rules provide for much flexibility and creativity in the design and delivery of educator preparation.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the rules.

Subchapter A. PURCHASING