|
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall
have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
(1)Academic year--If not referring to the academic
year of a particular public, private, or charter school or institution
of higher education, September 1 through August 31.
(2)Accredited institution of higher education--An
institution of higher education that, at the time it conferred the
degree, was accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting organization
recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
(3)Alternative certification program--An approved
educator preparation program, delivered by entities described in §228.20(a)
of this title (relating to Governance of Educator Preparation Programs),
specifically designed as an alternative to a traditional undergraduate
certification program, for individuals already holding at least a
bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
(4)Benchmarks--A record similar to a transcript for
each candidate enrolled in an educator preparation program documenting
the completion of admission, program, certification, and other requirements.
(5)Candidate--An individual who has been formally
or contingently admitted into an educator preparation program; also
referred to as an enrollee or participant.
(6)Certification category--A certificate type within
a certification class; also known as certification field.
(7)Certification class--A certificate, as described
in §230.33 of this title (relating to Classes of Certificates),
that has defined characteristics; also known as certification field.
(8)Classroom teacher--An educator who is employed
by a school or district and who, not less than an average of four
hours each day, teaches in an academic instructional setting or a
career and technical instructional setting. This term does not include
an educational aide or a full-time administrator.
(9)Clinical teaching--A supervised educator assignment
through an educator preparation program at a public school accredited
by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or other school approved by the
TEA for this purpose that may lead to completion of a standard certificate;
also referred to as student teaching.
(10)Clock-hours--The actual number of hours of coursework
or training provided; for purposes of calculating the training and
coursework required by this chapter, one semester credit hour at an
accredited institution of higher education is equivalent to 15 clock-hours.
Clock-hours of field-based experiences, clinical teaching, internship,
and practicum are actual hours spent in the required educational activities
and experiences.
(11)Contingency admission--Admission as described
in §227.15 of this title (relating to Contingency Admission).
(12)Cooperating teacher--For a clinical teacher candidate,
an educator who is collaboratively assigned by the educator preparation
program (EPP) and campus administrator; who has at least three years
of teaching experience; who is an accomplished educator as shown by
student learning; who has completed cooperating teacher training by
the EPP within three weeks of being assigned to a clinical teacher;
who is currently certified in the certification category for the clinical
teaching assignment for which the clinical teacher candidate is seeking
certification; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate during
the candidate's clinical teaching in areas such as planning, classroom
management, instruction, assessment, working with parents, obtaining
materials, district policies; and who reports the candidate's progress
to that candidate's field supervisor.
(13)Educator preparation program--An entity that must
be approved by the State Board for Educator Certification to recommend
candidates in one or more educator certification classes.
(14)Entity--The legal entity that is approved to deliver
an educator preparation program.
(15)Field-based experiences--Introductory experiences
for a classroom teacher certification candidate involving, at the
minimum, reflective observation of Early Childhood-Grade 12 students,
teachers, and faculty/staff members engaging in educational activities
in a school setting.
(16)Field supervisor--A currently certified educator,
hired by the educator preparation program, who preferably has advanced
credentials, to observe candidates, monitor their performance, and
provide constructive feedback to improve their effectiveness as educators.
A field supervisor shall have at least three years of experience and
current certification in the class in which supervision is provided.
A field supervisor shall be an accomplished educator as shown by student
learning. A field supervisor with experience as a principal and who
holds a current certificate that is appropriate for a principal assignment
may supervise principal, classroom teacher, master teacher, and reading
specialist candidates. A field supervisor with experience as a superintendent
and who holds a current certificate that is appropriate for a superintendent
assignment may supervise superintendent, principal, classroom teacher,
master teacher, and reading specialist candidates. If an individual
is not currently certified, an individual must hold at least a master's
degree in the academic area or field related to the certification
class for which supervision is being provided and comply with the
same number, content, and type of continuing professional education
requirements described in §232.11 of this title (relating to
Number and Content of Required Continuing Professional Education Hours), §232.13
of this title (relating to Number of Required Continuing Professional
Education Hours by Classes of Certificates), and §232.15 of this
title (relating to Types of Acceptable Continuing Professional Education
Activities). A field supervisor shall not be employed by the same
school where the candidate being supervised is completing his or her
clinical teaching, internship, or practicum. A mentor, cooperating
teacher, or site supervisor, assigned as required by §228.35(e)
of this title (relating to Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training),
may not also serve as a candidate's field supervisor.
(17)Formal admission--Admission as described in §227.17
of this title (relating to Formal Admission).
(18)Head Start Program--The federal program established
under the Head Start Act (42 United States Code, §9801 et seq.)
and its subsequent amendments.
(19)Initial certification--The first Texas certificate
in a class of certificate issued to an individual based on participation
in an approved educator preparation program.
(20)Intern certificate--A type of certificate as specified
in §230.36 of this title (relating to Intern Certificates) that
is issued to a candidate who has pass all required content certification
examinations and is completing initial requirements for certification
through an approved educator preparation program.
(21)Internship--A paid supervised classroom teacher
assignment for one full school year at a public school accredited
by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or other school approved by the
TEA for this purpose that may lead to completion of a standard certificate.
An internship is successful when the field supervisor and supervising
campus administrator recommend to the EPP that the candidate should
be recommended for a standard certificate.
(22)Late hire--An individual who has not been accepted
into an educator preparation program before the 45th day before the
first day of instruction and who is hired for a teaching assignment
by a school after the 45th day before the first day of instruction
or after the school's academic year has begun.
(23)Mentor--For an internship candidate, an educator
who is collaboratively assigned by the campus administrator and the
educator preparation program (EPP); who has at least three years of
teaching experience; who is an accomplished educator as shown by student
learning; who has completed mentor training by an EPP within three
weeks of being assigned to the intern; who is currently certified
in the certification category in which the internship candidate is
seeking certification; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate
during the internship in areas such as planning, classroom management,
instruction, assessment, working with parents, obtaining materials,
district policies; and who reports the candidate's progress to that
candidate's field supervisor.
(24)Pedagogy--The art and science of teaching, incorporating
instructional methods that are developed from scientifically-based
research.
(25)Post-baccalaureate program--An educator preparation
program, delivered by an accredited institution of higher education
and approved by the State Board for Educator Certification to recommend
candidates for certification, that is designed for individuals who
already hold at least a bachelor's degree and are seeking an additional
degree.
(26)Practicum--A supervised educator assignment at
a public school accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or
other school approved by the TEA for this purpose that is in a school
setting in the particular class for which a certificate in a class
other than classroom teacher is sought.
(27)Probationary certificate--A type of certificate
as specified in §230.37 of this title (relating to Probationary
Certificates) that is issued to a candidate who has passed all required
certification examinations and is completing requirements for certification
through an approved educator preparation program.
(28)School day--If not referring to the school day
of a particular public or private school, a school day shall be at
least seven hours (420 minutes) each day, including intermissions
and recesses.
(29)School year--If not referring to the school year
of a particular public or private school, a school year shall provide
at least 180 days (75,600 minutes) of instruction for students.
(30)Site supervisor--For a practicum candidate, an
educator who has at least three years of experience in the aspect(s)
of the certification class being pursued by the candidate; who is
collaboratively assigned by the campus or district administrator and
the educator preparation program (EPP); who is currently certified
in the certification class in which the practicum candidate is seeking
certification; who has completed training by the EPP within three
weeks of being assigned to a practicum candidate; who is an accomplished
educator as shown by student learning; who guides, assists, and supports
the candidate during the practicum; and who reports the candidate's
progress to the candidate's field supervisor.
(31)Texas Education Agency staff--Staff of the Texas
Education Agency assigned by the commissioner of education to perform
the State Board for Educator Certification's administrative functions
and services.
(32)Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)--The
kindergarten-Grade 12 state curriculum in Texas adopted by the State
Board of Education and used as the foundation of all state certification
examinations.
The agency certifies that legal counsel
has reviewed the adoption and found it to be a valid exercise of the
agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office
of the Secretary of State on December 7, 2016
TRD-201606372 Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez
Director, Rulemaking, Texas Education
Agency
State Board for Educator Certification
Effective date: December 27, 2016
Proposal publication date: August 26, 2016
For further information, please call: (512) 475-1497
|
