TITLE 19.EDUCATION

Part 2. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY

Chapter 101. ASSESSMENT

Subchapter AA. COMMISSIONER'S RULES CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS IN STATE ASSESSMENTS

19 TAC §§101.1001, 101.1003, 101.1005, 101.1007, 101.1009, 101.1011

The Texas Education Agency is renewing the effectiveness of the emergency adoption of new §§101.1001, 101.1003, 101.1005, 101.1007, 101.1009, and 101.1011, for a 60-day period. The text of new §§101.1001, 101.1003, 101.1005, 101.1007, 101.1009, and 101.1011 was originally published in the April 27, 2001 issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 3077).

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, on August 10, 2001.

TRD-200104633

Criss Cloudt

Associate Commissioner, Accountability Reporting and Research

Texas Education Agency

Effective date: August 10, 2001

Expiration date: October 9, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 463-9701


Part 7. STATE BOARD FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION

Chapter 230. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR PREPARATION AND CERTIFICATION

Subchapter O. TEXAS EDUCATOR CERTIFICATES BASED ON CERTIFICATION AND COLLEGE CREDENTIALS FROM OTHER STATES OR TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES

19 TAC §230.462

The State Board for Educator Certification (Board or SBEC) adopts on an emergency basis an amendment to §230.462(h), relating to requirements for Texas certificates based on certification from other states or territories of the United States. Elsewhere in this issue of the Texas Register , the State Board for Educator Certification (Board or SBEC) simultaneously adopts on an emergency basis an amendment to §245.5(c), relating to requirements for issuance of a Texas certificate based on certification from another country. The amended sections are adopted on an emergency basis pursuant to §2001.034 of the Government Code, which allows a state agency to adopt an emergency rule if a requirement of state or federal law requires adoption of the rule on less than 30 days notice. Adoption of the amended sections will allow SBEC to prepare to implement House Bill 1721, which was passed by the 77th Legislature, 2001, (the "Act").

The amended sections allow initial one-year certificates with effective dates during the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school years to be extended for another calendar year from the effective date. The one-year certificate is the temporary credential issued to educators certified outside Texas who are now seeking Texas certification. This temporary credential allows these educators to be employed in the state's public schools while they are attempting the certification exams required by SBEC. Before the Act amended the Education Code, all educators from other states or countries had to pass the appropriate SBEC certification exams to be certified in Texas. (SBEC's testing program is called the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas or ExCET.)

Some of these educators certified by other jurisdictions may benefit from the provisions of the Act, which became effective June 16, 2001. The Act allows educators from other states or countries to obtain standard Texas certification without testing if their certifying jurisdiction required passage of certification exams "similar to and as rigorous as" SBEC's tests. To determine which educators qualify for a test exemption under the Act, SBEC must compare the certification exams given by other jurisdictions with the appropriate ExCET tests.

This emergency adoption is necessary because SBEC will need time to conduct a comparability study of other jurisdictions' certification exams. Adoption of the amended sections on an emergency basis allows SBEC time to take action to implement the new law according to legislative intent, while not unfairly denying continued employment in Texas public schools to out-of-state educators who may qualify for a test exemption.

Out-of-state educators issued intial one-year certificates with effective dates during the 2000-2001 or 2001-2002 school year may qualify for the exemption, depending on the results of the comparability study. Many of the one-year certificates issued during the 2000-2001 school year will expire before SBEC can propose and adopt amendments extending the term of one-year certificates under the usual rulemaking process. Similarly, many one-year certificates will be issued during the 2001-2002 school year before permanent rules can be approved.

Extending the term of these one-year certificates will allow the holders to maintain employment in the public schools while awaiting the results of the comparability study. The extended term will also allow these candidates a fair opportunity to attempt the appropriate certification exams if they do not wish to await or to risk the outcome of the comparability study.

Accordingly, the agency has determined that the Act requires the adoption of these amended sections on fewer than 30 days notice. Because SBEC is adopting the rules immediately without first proposing them, the provisions of the Education Code §21.042, relating to approval of proposed rules by the State Board of Education, do not apply.

The amended section is adopted on an emergency basis under the Education Code §21.031(a), which authorizes SBEC to regulate and to oversee all aspects of the certification of public school educators. As described above, the amended sections are also adopted under House Bill 1721 (77th Legislature, 2001) (to be codified at Education Code §21.052(a)(3)(B)) and under Government Code §2001.034.

There are no other codes affected.

§230.462.Requirements for Texas Certificates Based on Certification from Other States or Territories of the United States.

(a) An applicant for a Texas certificate based on a certificate issued in accordance with §230.461 of this title (relating to General Provisions) must pass the appropriate examination requirements specified in §230.5 of this title (relating to Educator Assessment).

(b) If all certification requirements are met except the appropriate examination requirements, the applicant may request issuance of a one-year certificate in one or more certification areas authorized on the out-of-state certificate.

(1) An applicant who holds a special subject certificate issued in accordance with §230.461 of this title (relating to General Provisions) may be issued the equivalent Texas certificate in that special subject area.

(2) An applicant who holds a professional service certificate issued in accordance with §230.461 of this subchapter may be issued the equivalent Texas certificate in that professional service area. The applicant must verify three creditable years of public or private school experience, as defined in Subchapter Y of this chapter (relating to Definitions), in the professional service area.

(c) After satisfying all requirements, including the examination requirements, the applicant is eligible to receive the Standard Certificate issued under Chapter 232, Subchapter M of this title (relating to the Types and Classes of Certificates Issued).

(d) An applicant issued a one-year certificate under this section who does not complete the appropriate examination requirements to establish eligibility for a Standard Certificate during the validity of the one-year certificate, is not eligible for any type of certificate or permit authorizing employment for the same certified level or areas until he or she has satisfied the appropriate examination requirements.

(e) An employing superintendent may apply for a nonrenewable permit for a teacher who does not pass the professional development portion of the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) but does pass the appropriate content specialization portions of the exam during the validity of the one-year certificate. The nonrenewable permit shall be valid for no more than 12 months from the date the individual first attempts the professional development portion of the ExCET.

(f) An applicant shall not be required to complete the content specialization portion of the ExCET in a certification area for which he or she does not seek standard certification.

(g) An applicant issued a one-year certificate under this section who, during or subsequent to the validity of the certificate, establishes eligibility for a Standard Certificate may apply for:

(1) a new one-year certificate in another certification area based on an acceptable certificate from another state or territory of the United States; or

(2) a second one-year certificate in an area previously authorized on a one-year certificate, provided the applicant was not assigned to the area and has not attempted the appropriate examination requirements for that area.

(h) Upon request of an employing superintendent, the validity of an initial one-year certificate with an effective date during the 2000-2001 school year may be extended for one consecutive calendar year from the effective date. An initial one-year certificate with an effective date during the 2001-2002 school year shall be valid for two consecutive calendar years from the effective date. This subsection expires in accordance with Government Code §2001.034, relating to emergency rulemaking.

This agency hereby certifies that the emergency adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, on August 9, 2001.

TRD-200104559

Pamela B. Tackett

Executive Director

State Board for Educator Certification

Effective Date: August 9, 2001

Expiration Date: December 7, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 469-3011


Chapter 245. CERTIFICATION OF EDUCATORS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES

19 TAC §245.5

The State Board for Educator Certification (Board or SBEC) adopts on an emergency basis an amendment to §245.5(c), relating to requirements for issuance of a Texas certificate based on certification from another country. Elsewhere in this issue of the Texas Register , the State Board for Educator Certification (Board or SBEC) simultaneously adopts on an emergency basis an amendment to §230.462(h), relating to requirements for Texas certificates based on certification from other states or territories of the United States. The amended sections are adopted on an emergency basis pursuant to §2001.034 of the Government Code, which allows a state agency to adopt an emergency rule if a requirement of state or federal law requires adoption of the rule on less than 30 days notice. Adoption of the amended sections will allow SBEC to prepare to implement House Bill 1721, which was passed by the 77th Legislature, 2001, (the "Act").

The amended sections allow initial one-year certificates with effective dates during the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school years to be extended for another calendar year from the effective date. The one-year certificate is the temporary credential issued to educators certified outside Texas who are now seeking Texas certification. This temporary credential allows these educators to be employed in the state's public schools while they are attempting the certification exams required by SBEC. Before the Act amended the Education Code, all educators from other states or countries had to pass the appropriate SBEC certification exams to be certified in Texas. (SBEC's testing program is called the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas or ExCET.)

Some of these educators certified by other jurisdictions may benefit from the provisions of the Act, which became effective June 16, 2001. The Act allows educators from other states or countries to obtain standard Texas certification without testing if their certifying jurisdiction required passage of certification exams "similar to and as rigorous as" SBEC's tests. To determine which educators qualify for a test exemption under the Act, SBEC must compare the certification exams given by other jurisdictions with the appropriate ExCET tests.

This emergency adoption is necessary because SBEC will need time to conduct a comparability study of other jurisdictions' certification exams. Adoption of the amended sections on an emergency basis allows SBEC time to take action to implement the new law according to legislative intent, while not unfairly denying continued employment in Texas public schools to out-of-state educators who may qualify for a test exemption.

Out-of-state educators issued intial one-year certificates with effective dates during the 2000-2001 or 2001-2002 school year may qualify for the exemption, depending on the results of the comparability study. Many of the one-year certificates issued during the 2000-2001 school year will expire before SBEC can propose and adopt amendments extending the term of one-year certificates under the usual rulemaking process. Similarly, many one-year certificates will be issued during the 2001-2002 school year before permanent rules can be approved.

Extending the term of these one-year certificates will allow the holders to maintain employment in the public schools while awaiting the results of the comparability study. The extended term will also allow these candidates a fair opportunity to attempt the appropriate certification exams if they do not wish to await or to risk the outcome of the comparability study.

Accordingly, the agency has determined that the Act requires the adoption of these amended sections on fewer than 30 days notice. Because SBEC is adopting the rules immediately without first proposing them, the provisions of the Education Code §21.042, relating to approval of proposed rules by the State Board of Education, do not apply.

The amended section is adopted on an emergency basis under the Education Code §21.031(a), which authorizes SBEC to regulate and to oversee all aspects of the certification of public school educators. As described above, the amended sections are also adopted under House Bill 1721 (77th Legislature, 2001) (to be codified at Education Code §21.052(a)(3)(B)) and under Government Code §2001.034.

There are no other codes affected.

§245.5.Requirements for Issuance of a Texas Certificate Based on Certification from Another Country.

(a) The Standard Certificate issued under Chapter 232, Subchapter M of this title (relating to the Types and Classes of Certificates Issued), may be issued to an applicant holding a certificate or other credential and college degree as specified in §245.1 of this chapter (relating to General Provisions).

(1) An applicant who holds a certificate or other credential that is equivalent to a certification area listed in Chapter 230, Subchapter G of this title (relating to Certification Requirements for Classroom Teachers) and that was issued in accordance with §245.1 of this chapter may be issued the equivalent Texas certificate.

(2) An applicant who holds a certificate or other credential that is equivalent to a certification area listed in Chapter 230, Subchapter J of this title (relating to Certification Requirements for Educators Other Than Classroom Teachers and Educational Aides) and that was issued in accordance with §245.1 of this chapter may be issued the equivalent Texas certificate, provided the applicant:

(A) has completed requirements for a classroom teacher certificate; or

(B) can verify three creditable years of public or private school experience, as defined in Chapter 230, Subchapter Y of this title (relating to Definitions) in the certification area.

(b) If all certification requirements are met except successful completion of the appropriate certification examination(s), the applicant may request issuance of a one-year certificate in one or more of the certification areas authorized by the certificate from another country.

(1) An applicant issued a one-year certificate under this section who does not satisfy the appropriate examination requirements during the validity of the one-year certificate is not eligible for any type of certificate or permit authorizing employment for the same certification level or area until he or she has satisfied the examination requirements.

(2) An applicant issued a one-year certificate under this section who, during or subsequent to the validity of the certificate, satisfies the appropriate examination requirements and establishes eligibility for a standard certificate may apply for:

(A) a new one-year certificate in another certification area based on a certificate issued by a another country; or

(B) a second one-year certificate in an area previously authorized on a one-year certificate, provided the applicant was not assigned to the area and has not attempted the appropriate examination requirements for that area.

(c) The validity of initial one-year certificates issued during the 2000-2001 school year may be extended for one consecutive calendar year upon request of an employing superintendent. Initial one-year certificates issued during the 2001-2002 school year shall be valid for two consecutive calendar years from the date of issuance. This subsection expires in accordance with Government Code §2001.034, relating to emergency rulemaking.

This agency hereby certifies that the emergency adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, on August 9, 2001.

TRD-200104560

Pamela B. Tackett

Executive Director

State Board for Educator Certification

Effective Date: August 9, 2001

Expiration Date: December 7, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 469-3011