The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) adopts amendments to §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60, relating to requirements for educator preparation programs. The amendments to §228.2 and §228.60 are adopted without changes to the proposed text as published in the September 3, 2010, issue of the Texas Register (35 TexReg 8033) and will not be republished. The amendment to §228.35 is adopted with changes to the proposed text as published in the September 3, 2010, issue. The rules establish minimum standards for educator preparation programs. The adopted amendments clarify the requirements for educator preparation program coursework, training, internships, student teaching, clinical teaching, practicums, field-based experiences, and field supervision and provide that the program requirements that were in effect on the date an educator candidate was admitted to a program are the requirements applicable to that candidate.

Since the revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, became effective December 14, 2008, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff received numerous questions and comments regarding the locations, other than Texas public schools, at which an educator preparation program candidate may complete the required field-based experiences, student teaching, clinical teaching, internship, and/or practicum. The SBEC rules codified in the TAC were unclear on this subject because the rules did not specify the process or criteria for TEA approval of schools for this purpose.

The adopted amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60 provide the process and criteria for an educator preparation program to seek TEA approval for the use of schools other than public schools accredited by the TEA as a site for the required candidate experience, revise the definitions and requirements for the various required experiences, revise the field supervision requirements, and revise the implementation date of the provisions in Chapter 228. These adopted amendments reflect discussions held during the March 25, 2010, and June 21, 2010, stakeholder meetings. Following is a description of the adopted changes.

§228.2. Definitions

Language in 19 TAC §228.2(4), (9), (12), (16), and (17) was amended to specify that field-based experiences, student teaching, clinical teaching, internship, and practicum may take place not only in a public school accredited by the TEA, but also in other schools approved by the TEA pursuant to procedures described in new §228.35(d)(4). Language in §228.2(16) was amended to update the definition of "practicum" to clarify that the term applies only to a supervised assignment that is a requirement for a professional certificate, rather than as a general term that might also be applied to internships, student teaching, or clinical teaching.

The definition of "clock-hours" in 19 TAC §228.2(5) was amended to clarify the relationship between clock-hours and university credit hours.

The definition of "field-based experiences" in 19 TAC §228.2(9) was amended to add specificity by incorporating standards that were previously applicable only to field-based experiences provided through video or electronic transmission. The adopted amendments also remove those standards from 19 TAC §228.35 that reference the use of video or electronic transmission for field-based experience requirements because they are redundant.

§228.35. Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training

Language in 19 TAC §228.35 was amended to align with the adopted amendments to the definitions in §228.2. The standards for use of technology to meet field-based experience requirements were deleted throughout this section since the adopted new definition in §228.2(9) applies them to all field-based experiences.

Section 228.35(a)(6) was amended to provide that experience or professional training that is substituted for educator preparation program training and/or coursework requirements may not also be counted as part of internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum requirements.

Language in 19 TAC §228.35(d)(2)(C)(i) was amended to eliminate the requirement that a Head Start program be affiliated with a public school, as long as it is affiliated with the federal Head Start program and approved by the TEA. Language was also amended in §228.35(d)(2)(C)(ii) to clarify that an internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum experience must take place in an actual school setting.

Section 228.35(d) was amended to add new paragraph (4) to provide that all Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, wherever located, and all schools accredited by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) be approved as sites for field-based experiences, internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum experience. The rule also specifies the procedures and establishes criteria for obtaining TEA approval for other schools as sites for field-based experiences, internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum experience.

Language in 19 TAC §228.35(f) was amended to clarify and distinguish the field observation requirements for clinical teaching, student teaching, and practicum experiences.

Section 228.35(g) was added to clarify that coursework and training requirements are subject to the exemptions from field experiences and student teaching requirements granted by the TEC, §21.050(c).

Since published as proposed, language in §228.35(g) was revised to clarify the provisions of the exemption in TEC, §21.050(c).

§228.60. Implementation Date

Language was amended in 19 TAC §228.60 to clarify that the provisions of 19 TAC Chapter 228 that apply to an educator preparation candidate are those that were in effect on the date the candidate was admitted to an educator preparation program.

Regarding procedural and reporting implications, an educator preparation program follows the procedures established in adopted new 19 TAC §228.35(d)(4), which includes required elements to be submitted when requesting approval for schools as sites for field-based experiences, internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum experience. The adopted amendments have no locally maintained paperwork requirements for school districts and educators.

There is no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses and microbusinesses; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis, specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.

Following the August 2010 SBEC meeting, the proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60 were filed with the Texas Register initiating the official public comment period. The following comment was received regarding the proposed amendments.

Comment: The executive director of Education Career Alternatives Program (ECAP) commented on the definition of "mentor" in 19 TAC §228.2(14). The commenter noted that an educator preparation program does not have the authority to assign a mentor. The commenter stated that the district administrator who assigned the mentor for the candidate should be the person to receive any reports from the mentor about the candidate's progress, not the educator preparation program.

Board Response: The SBEC disagreed and maintained the definition of "mentor" as specified in 19 TAC §228.2(14). The definition of a mentor states that the mentor should communicate with the educator preparation program. The definition does not make the educator preparation program responsible for ensuring that the communication takes place. The mentor supports a candidate in the educator preparation program and, therefore, should communicate with the educator preparation program.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) took no action on the review of the amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60 at the November 19, 2010, SBOE meeting.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.031, which authorizes the SBEC to regulate and oversee all aspects of the certification, continuing education, and standards of conduct of public school educators, and states that in proposing rules under the TEC, Chapter 21, Subchapter B, the SBEC shall ensure that all candidates for certification or renewal of certification demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the performance of the diverse student population of this state; §21.044, which authorizes the SBEC to propose rules establishing the training requirements a person must accomplish to obtain a certificate, enter an internship, or enter an induction-year program and specify the minimum academic qualifications required for a certificate; §21.045(a), which authorizes the SBEC to propose rules establishing standards to govern the approval and continuing accountability of all educator preparation programs based on the following information that is disaggregated with respect to sex and ethnicity: results of the certification examinations prescribed under the TEC, §21.048(a); §21.050(a), which states that a person who applies for a teaching certificate for which SBEC rules require a bachelor's degree must possess a bachelor's degree received with an academic major or interdisciplinary academic major, including reading, other than education, that is related to the curriculum as prescribed under TEC, Chapter 28, Subchapter A; §21.050(c), which states that a person who receives a bachelor's degree required for a teaching certificate on the basis of higher education coursework completed while receiving an exemption from tuition and fees under the TEC, §54.214, may not be required to participate in any field experience or internship consisting of student teaching to receive a teaching certificate; and §21.051, which authorizes the SBEC to propose rules providing flexible options for persons for any field experience or internship required for certification.

The adopted amendments implement the TEC, §§21.031; 21.044; 21.045(a); 21.050(a) and (c); and 21.051.