Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, §§228.2, Definitions; 228.35, Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training; and 228.60, Implementation Date
November 19, 2010
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would amend 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, §§228.2, Definitions; 228.35, Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training; and 228.60, Implementation Date. The proposed amendments would clarify the requirements for educator preparation program coursework, training, internships, student teaching, clinical teaching, practicums, field-based experiences, and field supervision and would provide that the program requirements that were in effect on the date an educator candidate was admitted to a program would be the requirements applicable to that candidate.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: The statutory authority for the proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60 is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.031; 21.044; 21.045(a); 21.050(a) and (c); and 21.051.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60 would be December 26, 2010.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: None.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: Since the revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, became effective December 14, 2008, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff have 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 currently codified in the TAC are unclear on this subject because the rules do not specify the process or criteria for TEA approval of schools for this purpose.
The proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§228.2, 228.35, and 228.60, shown in Attachment II, would 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, would revise the definitions and requirements for the various required experiences, would revise the field supervision requirements, and would revise the implementation date of the provisions in Chapter 228. These proposed amendments reflect discussions held during the March 25, 2010 and June 21, 2010 stakeholder meetings. Following is a description of the proposed changes.
§228.2. Definitions
Language in 19 TAC §228.2(4), (9), (12), (16), and (17) would be 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) would be amended to update the definition of "practicum" to clarify that the term would apply 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) would be amended to clarify the relationship between clock-hours and university credit hours.
The definition of "field-based experiences" in 19 TAC §228.2(9) would be amended to add specificity by incorporating standards that were previously applicable only to field-based experiences provided through video or electronic transmission. The proposed amendments would 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 would be redundant.
§228.35. Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training
Language in 19 TAC §228.35 would be amended to align with the proposed amendments to the definitions in §228.2. The standards for use of technology to meet field-based experience requirements would be deleted throughout this section since the proposed new definition in §228.2(9) would apply them to all field-based experiences.
Section 228.35(a)(6) would be 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) would be 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 would also be 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) would be 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 would also specify the procedures and establish 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) would be amended to clarify and distinguish the field observation requirements for clinical teaching, student teaching, and practicum experiences.
Section 228.35(g) would be 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) would be revised to clarify the provisions of the exemption in TEC, §21.050(c).
§228.60. Implementation Date
Language would be 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.
SBOE Review of Proposed SBEC Rules
Under TEC, §21.042, the SBEC must submit a written copy of each rule it proposes to adopt to the SBOE for review. The SBOE may reject the proposed rules by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the SBOE present and voting.
FISCAL IMPACT: The TEA staff have determined that there are no additional costs to persons or entities required to comply with the proposed amendments. In addition, 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.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The public and student benefit anticipated as a result of the proposed amendments would be the development of clear, updated minimum educator preparation program requirements that would ensure educators are prepared to positively impact the performance of the diverse student population of this state.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: An educator preparation program would follow the procedures established in proposed new 19 TAC §228.35(d)(4), which would include required elements to be submitted when requesting approval for schools as sites for field-based experiences, internship, clinical teaching, student teaching, or practicum experience.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: The TEA staff have determined that there are no locally maintained paperwork requirements to school districts and educators.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: In accordance with the SBEC rulemaking process, a summary of the comment received by the SBEC on its proposed rules was shared with the SBOE in a separate mailing prior to this SBOE meeting.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: Stakeholder meetings were held on March 25, 2010 and June 21, 2010 for the purpose of reviewing and seeking input related to 19 TAC Chapter 228. The stakeholders included representatives from school districts, educator preparation programs, professional associations, and TEA staff.
COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Take no action on the proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, §§228.2, Definitions; 228.35, Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training; and 228.60, Implementation Date.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Raymond F. Glynn, Deputy Commissioner
School District Leadership and Educator Quality
Jerel Booker, Associate Commissioner
Educator and Student Policy Initiatives
Karen Loonam, Deputy Associate Commissioner
Educator Certification, Standards, and Investigations
Janice Lopez, Director
Educator Standards
Andrew Allen, Assistant Counsel
Legal Services for Educator Certification, Standards, and Investigations
Attachments:
I. Statutory Citations
II. Text of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs, §§228.2, Definitions; 228.35, Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training; and 228.60, Implementation Date