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Educator Preparation Program Support
Updates related to Educator Preparation Program Management

Countdown to ASEP Reporting 

To assist EPPs with completing ASEP Reporting with ease, we have developed weekly reminders for EPP staff who work on ASEP Reporting. Each week, you will receive a weekly reminder in this Newsletter that will include a timely task that will lead to successful completion of data reporting by September 15. Please remember that the Technical Manual published on the Program Provider Resources page on the TEA website is a wonderful ‘how to’ resource for using the various functions needed for reporting in ECOS and contains some useful tips for problem solving, if needed. 

New: Week 3 ASEP Task Reminders 7/26-8/2/2023 Complete all admission reporting.

1. Verify that each candidate admitted in 9/1/2022-8/31/2023 has an accurate admission record. Verify all required admission data has been included in the record. If you need to update a record, you can do so manually or by bulk upload.  

2. EPPs can download admission data in ECOS into a spreadsheet to help verify the admission data that has been reported to date.  

3. Remember: Admission records for candidates admitted in 2022-2023 cannot be created after 8/31/2023 except for candidates admitted in the last week of August. Those records can be entered until ASEP locks on 9/15/2023. 

4. Be sure to review the 2022-2023 Technical Manual on the Program Provider Resources page. It is located under Forms and Documents. This is a helpful resource as it provides useful information needed to complete ASEP Reporting.  

Reminder: Week 2 ASEP Task Reminders 7/19-26/2023 

1. Ensure that TEA has your updated EPP Contact Information.  

2. Each EPP should have one Legal Authority or Primary Point of Contact and at least one Backup Legal Authority. If you have recently had a change in these staff, please contact your Education Specialist assigned and we will send you the template so you can request the changes to be made in TEA records. 

3. Each EPP must have a Primary Title II Pearson and Title II IPRC contact and should have a Secondary contact for each, if possible. Ensure TEA has these current contacts. The following organizations must also have current contact information for your Title II contacts:  

• es-titleii@pearson.com 

• Title2@rti.org 

4. Make sure that the following contacts are correct (your assigned TEA specialist can provide you a list of contacts that we have on file for your EPP): 

• Your LBB contact if you are a college or university.  

• The staff that handles your data.  

• The staff that receives your EPP ASEP Invoices. 

• The staff, other than your Legal Authority, that may need to receive Accreditation Letters. 

To verify and/or update contacts with TEA, please contact your Education Specialist. 

Reminder: Notice of Closing Charter Schools 

The following charter schools are closing: 

• High Point Academy (220-819) – Closure June 30, 2023 

• Texas Serenity Academy (170-801) –Closure July 31, 2023 

• Lumin Education (057-805) – Closure July 31, 2023 

• Waco Charter School (161-801) – Closure July 31, 2023 

Candidates will not be placed on these campuses in 2023-2024; however, the campuses will remain on the organization drop-down list in ECOS until 9/16 after state reporting closes in case EPPs need them to create or edit clinical experience records for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

Educator Standards and Testing
Updates related to Educator Standards and Certification Testing

New: Educator Standards Redesign Standards Advisory Committee Application  

During the July 21, 2023 SBEC meeting, TEA staff discussed with the SBEC the need to form Teacher Pedagogy and ELAR and Math Content Educator Advisory Committees. These committees will work to draft educator standards that are responsive to recent legislation including HB 159 and SB 226, 87th Legislative Session, 2021 and HB 1605, 88th Legislative Session, 2023.  

TEA staff is currently seeking committee member applications from the SBEC, professional organizations, educator preparation programs, teacher organizations, and other key stakeholders to ensure the selection represents a comprehensive group of highly qualified educators. The application submission period begins on July 24, 2023 and ends August 25, 2023.  

The application for the Teacher Pedagogy and ELAR and Math Content Educator Standards Advisory Committees provides information about each committee in addition to a timeline for standards drafting. Access the application by selecting the link- https://forms.office.com/r/gFisJFqbFN.  All applications should be submitted via the application link on or before the August 25, 2023 deadline.  

*TEA staff plan to review applications and recommend committee members to the SBEC for approval at the upcoming September 29, 2023 SBEC meeting. 

Reminder: The last day to submit an order form for reimbursable vouchers related to the Critical Shortage Area Certification Exam Reimbursement Opportunity is Friday, August 1, 2023. Beginning August 2, 2023, the website and order form will be updated to remove the reimbursement opportunity. Please plan accordingly to submit order forms no later than EOD 8/1/2023.  

Educator Preparation and Certification
Updates related to Educator Preparation and Certification 

Reminder: Superintendent Certification Applications to Substitute Managerial Experience 

EPP Advisors, as you recommend individuals to complete the application to substitute managerial experience in lieu of the principal certification requirement to be enrolled in the superintendent certification program, please be certain to confirm that the individual has three years of experience as a district employee in the following areas: 

• Supervising and/or appraising personnel (direct supervision or appraisal, not simply taking part in the appraisal process) 

• Leading district-wide (not campus-wide) projects or initiatives 

•  Managing and/or creating a budget 

Also, please ensure that you are using the most recent application from the TEA website found 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 that we have heard from EPPs. 

Q: When submitting data fixes, what should I name the files to ensure processing?  

A: TEA requires that you name your data fixes as identified in the Request to Correct Finisher Record List Process Document found on the Program Provider Resources page under Forms and Documents. All Request for Correction (RFC) data fixes submitted must begin with your EPPCDN. Please reference the Process Document if you are unsure of how to name your RFCs.   

Q: How does a candidate transferring into my EPP from a closed EPP get a transfer form? 

A: Candidates that are transferring from a closed EPP to your EPP cannot get a transfer form signed because the closed EPP no longer exists. TEA assists educators in the Help Desk and by phone by providing them with the name of the EPP that they were previously enrolled in and removes any test approvals that were not removed by the closed EPP so that they are clear to be admitted to another EPP. TEA also advises educators about any certificates previously held and their last enrollment status as a Finisher or Other Enrolled. If you have questions about a candidate’s previous enrollment in a closed EPP, please contact your Education Specialist assigned.  

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, please submit a Help Desk ticket to Preparation Programs.   

• 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 

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