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THE
AGENCY'S WORK
The
certification board is organized into four broad areas: educator preparation,
assessment and accountability, certification, and professional discipline which
includes investigations and enforcement.
Educator Preparation
In the area of educator preparation, the certification board works
primarily with entities preparing educators for certification in Texas. The
work includes guidance in program development, approval, and implementation.
The board currently serves 70
universities, 16 community colleges, 30 alternative teacher certification programs
of which 7 are private companies, and 11
alternative administrator certification programs .
The board also advises entities interested in initiating educator preparation
programs.
The
certification board is involved in reviewing program approval
procedures to streamline the process while maintaining the integrity
of program review.
Assessment
State
law requires that individuals pass examinations in the areas in which they seek
certification. The certification board manages the development and administration
of the
Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET), Texas Examinations
for Master Teachers (TExMaT), Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES),
Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT), and Texas Assessment of Sign Communication
[(TASC) and (TASC-ASL) testing programs. Individuals typically take the TExES
Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities test and additional tests in the
academic disciplines in which they seek certification after completing a program
of preparation for the specific certificate(s). These tests assess the prospective
educator's knowledge of academic content and teaching, including understanding
of learners.
Test
development and review of current tests is ongoing. Passing standards
are reviewed periodically and recommendations from these reviews
are presented to the Board. The Board sets the minimum score required
to pass each certification test. Assessment professionals work
with school district and educator preparation program staff to
identify committee members for these activities.
Accountability
The
certification board monitors the quality of educator preparation at university
and alternative certification programs through the
Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP) . The certification board
uses assessment data (TExES, ExCET, TExMaT, TOPT, TASC, and TASC-ASL) and, in
the future, the performance of beginning teachers to determine program quality
and issue annual accreditation reports according to minimum acceptable performance
levels established by the Board.
Certification
The
certification board is responsible for ensuring that educators
are qualified to serve in the Texas public school system through
the following:
- Issuing
educator credentials to applicants who have completed the appropriate
degree and have a standard credential from another state or another
country
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- Issuing
educator credentials to applicants who have completed
requirements for certification at a Texas educator preparation
program
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- Certifying
applicants adding certification based on completion of
the appropriate examination(s)
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- Issuing
educator credentials to educational aides
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- Issuing
emergency and nonrenewable permits to school districts and reviewing
and approving hardship permits
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- Analyzing
and disseminating data on certificate and permit activity
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- Coordinating
applicant criminal investigations
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- Advising
school district staff on assignment criteria for hiring
appropriately certified individuals
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Professional Discipline
The
certification board ensures that Texas educators meet the highest standards
of professionalism and ethical behavior. Through its enforcement of disciplinary
rules and the Educators' Code of Ethics, the board investigates allegations
of educator misconduct to guarantee the safety and well-being of Texas school
children and fellow educators. When determining if sanction against a certificate
are warranted, the board conducts a thorough investigation and provides the
educator the opportunity to be heard. Cases which are not resolved informally
through agreed orders may result in informal hearings before the State of Office
of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Such hearing are open to the public. Copies
of any final decision by an Administrative Law Judge or an Agreed order between
the parties resolving the case are open records and may be obtained upon request.
The
board welcomes input from educators, educator preparation entities,
and the public.
About
the SBEC Information and Support Center
SBEC
has established an Information and Support Center (ISC) to assist the individuals
with questions about educator preparation, assessment, and certification.
Customers
can reach the ISC toll-free at 1-888-863-5880, 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday
- Friday CST. Click here to e-mail us.
Agency Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 1999-2003
Agency
Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2001-2005
Agency
Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2003-2007
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