| (a) An educator preparation program (EPP) that is consolidating
or closing, whether as an entire program or only for specific individual
certification categories or classes and whether voluntarily or by
order of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), must comply
with the following procedures to ensure that all issues relevant to
EPP consolidation or closure have been addressed.
(1) The EPP shall submit a letter on official letterhead
to Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff signed by the legal authority
of the EPP that contains a formal statement of consolidation or closure
with a specified effective date for consolidation or closure at least
90 days and no more than 270 days after the date of the letter.
(2) The legal authority of the EPP shall meet with
TEA staff weekly between the date of the notice letter required in
paragraph (1) of this subsection and the date of closure.
(3) The EPP shall contact the following types of candidates,
either in the entire program or in the impacted certification category
or class depending on the scope of the closure, with notification
of consolidation or closure and the steps candidates must take in
relation to their status, and shall maintain evidence of the attempts
to notify each candidate:
(A) currently enrolled candidates;
(B) candidates who have been enrolled within the previous
five years; and
(C) completers within the previous five years.
(4) The EPP shall not admit candidates or recommend
candidates for an intern or probationary certificate within one year
of its closure date.
(5) The EPP shall identify approved EPPs to provide
test approval and standard certification recommendations for completers
at the closing EPP.
(A) The closing EPP shall provide its candidates with
a list of approved EPPs that can continue to support completers through
test approval and standard certification.
(B) To expedite the candidates' transfer to other programs,
the closing EPP shall provide each candidate with appropriate documentation,
such as a transcript or transfer form, reflecting all program requirements
the candidate has met.
(6) For five years after an EPP's closure, the EPP
must identify and keep current a representative's name, electronic
mail address, and telephone number to provide access to candidate
records and responses to former candidate's questions and/or issues.
If an EPP is consolidating, the candidate records will transfer to
the new EPP.
(7) The EPP must complete required SBEC and TEA actions,
including required submissions of information, surveys, and other
accountability data; removal of security accesses; reconciliation
of certification recommendations; and payment of the Accountability
System for Educator Preparation Programs technology fee as specified
in §229.9 of this title (relating to Fees for Educator Preparation
Program Approval and Accountability).
(b) The chief operating officer, legal authority, or
a member of the governing body of an EPP that fails to comply with
the consolidation or closure procedures in this section is not eligible
to apply for SBEC approval to offer an EPP.
(c) The chief operating officer, legal authority, or
a member of the governing body of an EPP that closes voluntarily due
to pending TEA or SBEC action or involuntarily due to SBEC action
is not eligible to apply for SBEC approval to offer an EPP.
(d) If an EPP is consolidating or closing only individual
certification classes or categories and fails to comply with the consolidation
procedures in this section, TEA staff may make a recommendation that
the SBEC impose sanctions affecting the new EPP's accreditation status
in accordance with §229.5 of this title (relating to Accreditation
Sanctions and Procedures) and/or continuing approval status in accordance
with §229.6 of this title (relating to Continuing Approval).
(e) If an EPP violates any of the requirements as prescribed
in subsection (a)(1)-(7) of this section, TEA staff shall recommend
revocation of the EPP's continuing approval to prepare and recommend
candidates for certification in accordance with §229.6(c) of
this title.
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