The requirements of this section shall apply to all AEL staff,
excluding clerical and janitorial staff.
(1) AEL instructional aides, administrative, data entry,
proctoring staff, and staff providing support or employment services
to students shall have at least a high school diploma or high school
equivalency certificate.
(2) AEL directors, supervisors, and staff that oversee
program assessment services and/or overall program accountability,
and instructors in the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics,
and English language acquisition, including substitutes, shall possess
at least a bachelor's degree.
(3) Workforce training instructors must meet the requirements
of the institution and/or the associated accrediting or credentialing
entity, if applicable.
(4) Requests for exemptions for staff qualification
requirements in individual cases:
(A) may be submitted to the Agency for approval with
a justification outlining extenuating circumstances; and
(B) shall be submitted and approved prior to an individual
being placed in the position in question.
(5) All AEL directors and supervisors, and other staff
with program oversight or coordination responsibilities shall receive
15 clock hours of professional development each program year with
the following exception: Staff hired on or after January 1 of a program
year may require half of the professional development time required
for that program year.
(6) All AEL instructional staff, including instructional
aides providing instruction to students, except substitutes, paid
with AEL grant funds or who acquire student contact hours, including
volunteers, shall receive at least 15 clock hours of professional
development each program year, with the following specifications:
(A) Instructors in the content areas of reading, writing,
mathematics, and English language acquisition shall:
(i) receive three clock hours of training in principles
of adult learning;
(ii) receive six clock hours in relevant areas of literacy
instruction; and
(iii) receive the remaining six clock hours of training
in content areas at the discretion of the program, but consisting
of content related to the AEL program's purpose, which is to provide
adults with sufficient basic education that enables them to effectively:
(I) acquire the basic educational skills necessary
for literate functioning;
(II) participate in job training and retraining programs;
(III) obtain and retain employment; and
(IV) continue their education to at least the level
of secondary school completion and postsecondary education preparation;
or
(iv) waive six clock hours of content area in staff
professional development for individuals who have 18 or more college
semester undergraduate or graduate credit hours in relevant areas
of literacy instruction.
(B) Staff, as described in subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph, hired on or after January 1 of a program year, may require
half of the professional development time required for that program
year. For instructors in the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics,
and English language acquisition, these hours must include three clock
hours of training in principles of adult learning and three clock
hours in the relevant areas of literacy instruction.
(C) Staff described in this paragraph shall receive
at least six clock hours of the required professional development
outlined in subparagraph (A)(i) - (iii) of this paragraph within 30
calendar days of providing instructional activities, if new to AEL
or to direct student service delivery. The six hours include the required
three hours of principles of adult learning and three hours of the
relevant areas of literacy instruction. Waiving of the requirements
for staff new to direct student services must be approved by Agency
AEL staff prior to the individual providing any instructional services.
(7) All staff providing support services or college
and career transitional support who are paid through an AEL grant
shall receive at least three clock hours of professional development
each program year.
(8) AEL non-instructional support staff, such as, but
not limited to, those assigned test proctoring or data entry duties,
shall receive at least three clock hours of professional development
related to their primary job duties each program year.
(9) The requirements for professional development may
be reduced by grant recipients in individual cases in which exceptional
circumstances prevent employees from completing the required hours
of professional development. Exceptional circumstances can include
absence from the program or work due to personal health reasons or
emergency familial responsibilities, including maternity/paternity.
Documentation justifying these circumstances shall be available for
monitoring and as requested by AEL staff.
(10) Records of staff qualifications and professional
development shall be maintained by each grant recipient and shall
be available for monitoring.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §805.21 adopted to be effective February 24, 2014, 39 TexReg 1205; amended to be effective July 20, 2016, 41 TexReg 5231; amended to be effective December 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 8150; amended to be effective November 24, 2022, 47 TexReg 7749 |
