Section 228.15 - [Effective 9/1/2024] Additional Approval(a) An alternative certification program seeking approval to implement a clinical teaching component shall submit a description of the following elements of the program for approval by Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff on an application in a form developed by TEA staff that shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) general clinical teaching program description, including conditions under which clinical teaching may be implemented;(2) selection criteria for clinical teachers;(3) selection criteria for cooperating teachers;(4) description of support and communication between candidates, cooperating teachers, and the alternative certification program;(5) description of program supervision; and(6) description of how candidates are evaluated.(b) An educator preparation program (EPP) seeking approval to implement a residency program must submit a complete application in a form developed by TEA staff for consideration and approval by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The application must include evidence indicating the ability to comply with the provisions of this chapter and Chapter 230 of this title (relating to Professional Educator Preparation and Certification).(1) To determine whether the EPP's evidence of compliance is sufficient, the program shall be scored on a rubric developed and published by TEA staff. Evidence of compliance is described in the figure provided in this paragraph. Attached Graphic
(2) TEA staff will review the application and required evidence and shall recommend to the SBEC whether the residency program should be approved.(3) A post-approval site visit will be conducted after the end of the first academic year in which the program reports residency completers to the TEA in accordance with § 229.3 of this title (relating to Required Submissions of Information, Surveys, and Other Data).(c) An EPP seeking the addition of certificate categories and classes must comply with the following as applicable. (1) An EPP that is rated Accredited, as provided in § 229.4 of this title (relating to Determination of Accreditation Status), may request the addition of a certificate class that has not been previously approved by the SBEC but must present a complete application in a form developed by TEA staff for consideration and approval by the SBEC. The application at a minimum must include the components identified in §228.11(a)(1) of this title (relating to New Entity Approval) and must document evidence that the EPP has the staff knowledge and expertise to support individuals participating in the certificate class being requested.(2) An EPP that is rated Accredited, as provided in § 229.4 of this title, may request additional certificate categories be approved by TEA staff if the requested additional certificate categories are within the classes of certificates for which the EPP has been previously approved by the SBEC, by submitting an application in a form developed by TEA staff. The application shall include, at a minimum, the curriculum matrix, a description of how the educator standards for the certificate are incorporated into the coursework and training; and documentation showing that the program has the staff knowledge and expertise to support individuals participating in the certificate category being requested. The curriculum matrix must include the educator standards, the test framework competencies, the applicable Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the course and/or module names, and the benchmarks and assessments used to measure mastery of the standards and competencies and candidate progress through coursework.(3) An EPP rated Accredited, as provided in § 229.4 of this title, and currently approved to offer a certificate for which the SBEC is changing the grade level of the certificate may request to offer the preapproved category at different grade levels if the requested additional certificate categories are within the classes of certificates for which the EPP has been previously approved by the SBEC, by submitting an application in a form developed by TEA staff that shall include, at a minimum, a modified curriculum matrix that includes: (A) the educator standards;(B) test framework competencies;(C) course and/or module names; and(D) the benchmarks and assessments used to measure successful program progress.(4) An EPP that has an accreditation status other than Accredited, as listed in § 229.4 of this title, may not apply to offer additional certificate categories or classes of certificates.(d) An EPP that is rated Accredited, may open additional locations, provided the program informs TEA staff of any additional locations at which the program is providing educator preparation 60 days prior to providing educator preparation at the location. Additional program locations must operate in accordance with the program components under which the program has been approved to operate. An EPP that has an accreditation status listed in § 229.4 of this title other than Accredited may not open additional locations.19 Tex. Admin. Code § 228.15
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 41, Number 52, December 23, 2016, TexReg 10280, eff. 12/27/2016; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 41, October 9, 2020, TexReg 7255, eff. 10/15/2020; Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 20, May 17, 2024, TexReg 3541, eff. 9/1/2024