| (II) an approved teacher observation rubric including
the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System, Marzano's Teacher
Evaluation Model and rubric created by the National Institute for
Excellence in Teaching and The Danielson Group, or another rubric
that is based on observable, job-related behaviors that are described
with progressive descriptors for each dimension, including alignment
to §149.1001 of this title (relating to Teacher Standards) and
a clear proficiency indicator. A school district may be required to
provide teacher observation videos if the ratings cannot be verified
from the data submitted; and
(ii) a specified student growth component by measure
and/or assessment that:
(I) if using a student learning objective, is aligned
to the Texas Student Learning Objectives (SLO) process described on
the TEA website for SLOs at https://texasslo.org;
(II) if using a portfolio method, demonstrates that
student work is aligned to the standards of the course, demonstrates
mastery of standards, utilizes a skills proficiency rubric, and includes
criteria for scoring various artifacts;
(III) if using school district- or teacher-created
assessments, is aligned to the standards of the course and conforms
to a district rubric for district- or teacher-created assessments.
A school district must approve district- or teacher-created assessments
for the purpose of determining student growth by using a district
process and rubric for approval of such assessments. Assessments must
measure beginning of course to end of course or from end of course
from the previous course to end of current course;
(IV) if using a school district- or teacher-created
assessment in conjunction with a third-party assessment, is aligned
to the standards of the course and conforms to a district rubric for
district- or teacher-created assessments. A school district must approve
district- or teacher-created assessments for the purpose of determining
student growth by using a district process and rubric for approval
of such assessments. Assessments must measure beginning of course
to end of course or from end of course from the previous course to
end of current course;
(V) if using third-party assessments with third-party
accompanying growth targets, is aligned to the standards for the course
and contains questions that cover a range of student skill levels.
Assessments must measure beginning of course to end of course or from
end of course from the previous course to end of current course; or
(VI) if using third-party assessments with district-created
growth targets, is aligned to the standards of the course and contains
questions that cover a range of student skill levels. Assessments
must measure beginning of course to end of course or from end of course
from the previous course to end of current course. Mid-year data may
be used in instances where the student was not present for the beginning
of course administration.
(B) test administration processes for all student growth
that will lead to validity and reliability of results, including:
(i) test security protocols;
(ii) testing windows;
(iii) testing accommodations; and
(iv) annual training for test administrators; and
(C) data for all teachers in eligible teaching assignments,
including student growth, and observation data for all teachers in
eligible teaching assignments for the data capture year in alignment
with TEC, §21.351 or §21.352. Multi-year data shall include
student growth and observation data from the same year and teacher
category. Single-year data shall include student growth and observation
data from the same teacher category. TEA may exercise administrative
discretion regarding the requirements of this subparagraph in situations
in which data is difficult to provide due to circumstances beyond
a district's control and the district would otherwise be unable to
provide sufficient data for application consideration.
(d) System expansion, spending modifications, and changes.
School districts must apply for approval through the system application
process the year prior to implementation if:
(1) adding new eligible teaching assignments or campuses
(if started with less than all campuses in the district);
(2) adding a new teacher observation rubric;
(3) changing a previously approved teacher observation
rubric;
(4) adding new student growth measures;
(5) changing the student growth measure used by an
eligible teaching assignment;
(6) adding or changing the third-party assessment used
in a student growth measure;
(7) adding or changing the type of assessment used
in a student growth measure;
(8) removing a student growth measure used by an eligible
teaching assignment;
(9) removing an eligible teaching assignment; or
(10) modifying a district's spending plan. TEA may
exercise administrative discretion to allow spending modifications
outside of the approval timeline outlined in this subsection.
(e) Monitoring and annual program submission of approved
local designation systems.
(1) For the program submission, approved school districts
shall submit the following information regarding a local teacher designation
system and associated spending:
(A) the distribution of allotment funds from the previous
school year in accordance with the funding provisions of subsection
(g) of this section;
(B) a response and implementation plan to annual surveys
developed by TEA administered to teachers, campus principals, and
human resources personnel gauging the perception of a school district's
local designation system; and
(C) teacher observations and student growth measure
data for all teachers in eligible teaching assignments if school districts
are submitting new teacher designations collected in alignment with §150.1003(b)(5)
and (l)(3) of this title (relating to Appraisals, Data Sources, and
Conferences). TEA reserves the right to request data for the purposes
of performance evaluation and investigation based on data review outcomes.
TEA may exercise administrative discretion in circumstances where
data is difficult to provide and a district would otherwise be unable
to provide sufficient data for application consideration.
(2) Outcomes of the annual program submission may lead
to a review, pursuant to TEC, §48.272(e), and subject to the
period of review limitation in TEC, §48.272(f), of the local
optional designation system that may be conducted at any time at the
discretion of the TEA staff.
(f) Continuing approval and renewal.
(1) Approved local optional teacher designation systems
are subject to review at least once every five years. However, a review
may be conducted at any time at the discretion of TEA. The renewal
application is required in a district's fourth year of system approval
and will follow the process and requirements outlined in subsection
(c) of this section.
(A) Charter management organizations that operate approved
systems with multiple campus district numbers shall submit an application
for each system at the time of required renewal.
(B) Systems with provisional approval in a district's
fourth year shall renew in the year after receiving system approval.
(2) Approval of local optional designation systems
are voidable by TEA for one or more of the following reasons:
(A) failure to fulfill all local optional designation
system requirements as defined in this section;
(B) failure to comply with annual program submission
requirements;
(C) failure to comply with the provisions of TEC, §21.3521
and §48.112;
(D) failure to implement the local optional teacher
designation system as approved by TEA;
(E) failure to remove district employees from the designation
determination process who have a conflict of interest and acted in
bad faith to influence designations; or
(F) at the discretion of the commissioner.
(3) Approval of individual teacher designations are
voidable by TEA for one or more of the following reasons:
(A) a teacher has not fulfilled all designation requirements;
(B) the school district at which the designation was
earned has had its local optional designation system voided;
(C) the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
revokes a National Board certification that provided the basis for
a teacher's designation;
(D) the suspension, revocation, permanent surrender,
or surrender of a certificate issued by the State Board for Educator
Certification to a designated teacher;
Cont'd... |
