Legislative Report on State Teacher Certification

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Legislative Report on State Teacher Certification

• Council on Military Education in Texas and the
  South
• Dr. Millie Klein
• mklein0531_at_aol.com

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• State Board of Education
• SBOE
• State Board for Educator Certification
• SBEC (4 legislative sessions ago)

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Types of Teaching Certificates

• Standard (Sept. 1, 1999)
• Provisional (no longer issued)
• Professional (no longer issued)
• One-year
• Probationary
• Temporary
• Emergency
• School District Teaching Certificate

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Routes to Educator Certification in Texas

• University-based Programs
• Delivered as part of a baccalaureate program
• No state requirements on of hours
• Requires student teaching
• Student must be recommended by the University
• Student must pass both portions of state exam

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• Alternative Programs for Educator Preparation
• Offered by universities, school districts and
  service centers
• May include university courses
• Require internship and mentoring by an
  experienced educator trained in mentoring
• Must pass appropriate tests
• Must pass criminal check

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• Additional Certification Based on Examination
• Certified teacher may add additional
  certification by exam
• Career and technology certification may be added
  based on skill and work experience

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• Certification Based on Credentials from Another
  State
• May receive a one-year certificate based on SBEC
  review
• Must pass appropriate exams during the validity
  of the certificate
• Receives a standard certificate

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• Certification Based on Credentials from Another
  Country
• SBEC evaluation (might need a deficiency plan)
• Must be language proficient
• Must pass appropriate exams

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• Teaching Without Certification
• Emergency certificate
• Requires university deficiency plan
• Requires course work
• Does not require student teaching
• Student is employed while taking course work
• Student must pass appropriate exams
• Student receives a standard certificate
• Must be initiated by a district

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Proposed Certification Route(Temporary
Certification HB 318)

• Recommended by SBEC
• Approved by the State Board of Education
• Final review by the State Board of Educator
  Certification
• Grades 8 12 (only)
• Review April 2, 2004

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Requirements

• Baccalaureate or advanced degree from an
  accredited institution
• An academic major or interdisciplinary academic
  major (other than education)
• Major must be related to at least one area of the
  state curriculum
• Pass required state exams
• Pass a criminal history background check by
  submitting fingerprints for review

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• Employed under a probationary contract (for two
  years)
• District(s) must provide SBEC evidence of the
  following training
• Research-based mentoring

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• District pre-service (and on-going) training that
  includes
• School policies and relevant state and federal
  law
• Instructional methods and strategies
• Curriculum organization, planning, and
  evaluation, including the TEKS (in appropriate
  subject area)
• Classroom management

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Sample concerns

• Encourages placement of untrained individuals in
  the classroom
• Removes certification from the state level
• Promotes high attrition
• Creates substandard certification
• Transfers training requirements to cash-strapped
  districts

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• Reaches beyond the scope of SBEC
• Requires an unrealistic appraisal process
• Allows temporary certificate holders to be
  assigned outside their areas of expertise
• Association of Texas Professional Educators
  (ATPE)
• These issues are currently being addressed by
  SBEC rules

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Texas Issues Related to No Child Left Behind
(NCLB)

• Highly Qualified Teachers
• In the following areas
• English/Language Arts/Reading
• Fine Arts
• Math
• Sciences
• Social Studies
• Foreign Languages
• Consequence
• Loss of all Title I monies

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Federal definition of Highly Qualified

• Bachelors degree
• Full state certification
• Demonstrated competence in the core academic
  subject area assigned (HOUSSE)

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New elementary teachers

• Hired after first day of instruction 02-03 must
  have
• Bachelors Degree, and
• Certification in the area, and
• Passed ExCET or TExES

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Experienced elementary teachers, PK-6

• Bachelors Degree, and
• Certified in the area, and
• Passed ExCET or TExES, or
• Meet High Objective Uniform State Standard of
  Evaluation (HOUSSE)

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HOUSSE for elementary teachers

• Option Aat least 1 creditable year of experience
  and a total of 24 points
• 1 point for each year of teaching (12 pts. Max)
• 1 point for each hour of college coursework in
  ELA, Mathematics, Science or Social Studies
• 1 point for every 15 hrs. of professional
  development
• Each subject must be represented in the 24 points

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Elementary teachers (cont.)

• Option Bat least 1 creditable year of experience
  and a college major (24 hours with 12 being upper
  division) or the equivalent in the subject to be
  taught

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Secondary teachers, grades 7 - 12

• All secondary teachers must have
• Bachelors degree
• Certification in any area
• And in the specific area assigned
• Passed ExCET or TExES, or
• Academic Major, or
• Graduate Degree, or
• Meet HOUSSE

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HOUSSE for secondary teachers

• At least 1 creditable year of experience and a
  total of 24 points
• 1 point for each year of teaching (12 points
  maximum)
• 1 point for each hour of college coursework in
  the subject to be taught or closely related field
• 1 point for every 15 hours of professional
  development in the subject or closely related
  field
• 6 points must represent the subject taught

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Implications for school districts

• HR departments must place a summary of the
  teacher option used to make each teacher highly
  qualified in the teachers permanent record

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• Missouri Site
• www.dese.state.mo.us
• Louisiana Site
• www.doe.state.la.us
• Texas
• www.sbec.tx.us
• NCLB
• www.NoChildLeftBehind.gov