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Educator Preparation Program Support 

Updates related to Educator Preparation Program Management  

New: Data Set Distribution Process Update 

We hope the data sets generated by TEA have been useful to your EPP. These data sets will continue to be created and made available to all EPPs. To ensure the information in the data sets remains secure, TEA has conducted data security conversations to define a process to ensure that the data is secure.  

Moving forward, TEA will provide access to the data through the Sharefile system (https://tea.sharefile.com/Authentication/Login ) to the Legal Authority of the EPP. Individuals who need access to this data may connect with their EPP Legal Authority. Each Legal Authority will be able to access and download the data. This is necessary because it ensures that the Legal Authority is disseminating the data within their organization in an authorized manner and allows EPPs to confirm staff access locally. This prevents the need for additional steps for EPPs that would involve EPP Legal Authorities providing verification of approved staff access prior to every distribution. 

In the event that your program staff need assistance with access, Education Specialists at TEA can provide the name of the Legal Authority upon request and can assist the Legal Authorities with accessing the Sharefile system, if necessary.  

Reminder: Customer Service Support 

The end of the school year is a busy time for all, including various TEA divisions who experience a surge in calls and Help Desk tickets each year at this time. EPPs can help alleviate some of the volume by communicating important information to candidates on some common topics. 

• Candidates who seek test approval should contact the EPP directly since TEA cannot provide test approval to candidates. Additionally, candidates can view their approved tests in the View Examinations tab of their Educator accounts in ECOS. 

• Candidates who have applied for certification should contact the EPP directly regarding the status of their recommendation since TEA cannot recommend Intern, Probationary, or Standard certificates for candidates. 

• Candidates who are transferring to a new EPP should contact the previous EPP directly for a transfer form since TEA does not issue transfer forms. EPP candidates will need to resolve any outstanding issues with their previous EPP if something is delaying completion of the transfer form.  

Reminder:  Reading Academies for EPP Working Group Application is Now Live 

The Texas Reading Academies is a statewide professional development program that engages educators with high-quality instructional strategies rooted in the Science of Teaching Reading (STR). In response to feedback from the field, TEA is currently exploring opportunities for EPPs to have the option to engage with offering Reading Academy training to their teacher candidates. As a first step, TEA would like to engage a cohort of EPPs as a working group who would partner with an existing Authorized provider to offer Reading Academies to their teacher candidates during the upcoming academic year. The goal of this working group is to learn side by side with EPPs to ultimately provide recommendations for implementation approaches going forward. EPPs who are interested should apply to participate in the working group via the application process below. 

The application process consists of: 

• Competitive Authorization Application Window June 1 – June 16, 2023. 

• Questions about the application may be submitted at this link: Question Form 

• Application Evaluation Window June 20- June 23, 2023 

• All applications will be reviewed. Once qualified programs have been identified, TEA will be in communication with all applicants. Additional steps for qualified applicants may include a follow-up meeting and negotiations, as needed, followed by execution of agreement(s) for selected providers. 

• All applicants selected will participate in a virtual kick off meeting during the week of July 10, 2023. 

EPPs that are interested in applying to be a Texas Reading Academies working group beginning in July 2023 may submit their application through this link: Application Link 

The rubric that will be used to score applications can be found at this link: Application Scoring Rubric. 

Texas Reading Academies Page:  EPP Page 
 

Reminder: Updated Vetted Teacher Residency Program Applications: Due 6/9/2023 

The2023 Vetted Teacher Residency Program Application remains open through 6/9/23. All existing vetted teacher residency programs must reapply to remain a vetted teacher residency program. Please reach out to Melissa.Yoder@tea.texas.gov if you have final questions about the application.  

As a reminder, the application includes several questions about the applicant’s intent to scale and sustain the residency model. These questions are information-seeking only and are non-scored components of the application. 

Educator Preparation and Certification

Updates related to Educator Preparation and Certification

Reminder: Emergency Permits and Certification Waivers  

As districts work through the busy summer season of hiring, we want to share with you some helpful information regarding options that districts have when seeking to place individuals in assignments.  Given the ongoing vacancies across the state, districts are submitting requests to place EPP candidates on emergency permits and certification waivers. 

Emergency permits and teacher certification waivers allow districts to employ an individual to serve as a teacher without the necessary certification requirements. Teacher certification waivers cannot be approved for individuals to serve in special education or bilingual education assignments. Permits and certification waivers are not recommended for Educator Preparation Program (EPP) candidates because it does not count towards program requirements, is not issued, or supervised by the EPP, and can prolong the certification process.   

When an emergency permit or teacher certification waiver request is submitted by a district for an EPP candidate, TEA staff in Educator Preparation and Certification will contact the district to ensure that the EPP candidate is not currently eligible for an SBEC-issued credential and confirms that a conversation has occurred with the candidate and their EPP. TEA staff continue to encourage districts to maintain open and ongoing communication with EPPs so that both parties can actively support candidates in transitioning to an SBEC-issued certificate as soon as all requirements are met. 

Upon a candidate’s eligibility for an intern or probationary certificate, the district must submit a help desk ticket to end an emergency permit.  If you are interested in knowing the process and procedures that districts must follow, you may access the Emergency Permits Guide at this link. 

Reminder: Incorrect Applications and Fee Transfers 

TEA staff in Educator Preparation and Certification are processing a high volume of help desk ticket requests to transfer fees to new applications due to candidates selecting incorrect applications.  When the incorrect application is submitted, TEA staff cannot edit or remove the submitted application. The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) must remove the incorrect application and the candidate must re-apply.  TEA staff will then need to transfer the fee from the old to the new application.  To help reduce the number of these requests, please ensure that candidates are well informed of the correct applications to select during the application process.  We appreciate your assistance with this matter. 

FAQs 

We take this space to highlight questions we have heard from EPPs. 

Q: My candidates say they are waiting on TEA for standard certification. How does the standard certification process work? 

A: Candidates enrolled in an EPP are not waiting on TEA for standard certification. The process works as follows: The candidate has completed all EPP requirements and applies/pays for standard certification. The application appears in the EPP’s standard certification recommendation queue. The EPP provides online recommendations for certification. The certificate will be issued immediately, unless the application is missing payment or fingerprint results, or if something in the candidate’s history requires clearance from investigations. Please advise your candidates about how the process works.  EPP candidates should be encouraged to use the Application/Fee Status tab in their ECOS Educator account to confirm that their certification application status has changed from “Applied” to “Recommended”. An application status of “Applied” means the EPP still needs to provide the online recommendation for certificate issuance. 

EPP Points of Contact   

Your best source for information and support at the TEA.   

As an Educator Preparation Program, your main point of contact is your Education Specialist.   

• View a list of EPPs and their associated Education Specialist. 

• For easiest assistance, file a HelpDesk Ticket.   

• Or EPPs (and candidates) may call (512) 936-8400 and select Option #5: Educator Preparation Programs. If an Education Specialist is not available to answer the call at that time, please leave a voicemail. An Education Specialist will promptly return the call.  

Updated: If EPPs (and candidates) would like to speak to a representative from another area(s), they may call (512) 936-8400 and select one of the options listed below. 

• Option 2: Educator Certification  

• Option 3: Fingerprinting  

• Option 6: Investigations 

• Option 8: General Office Information 

• Option 8: General Office Information 

The Teal Account Access team and Educator Testing team are available through the Help Desk.