Updates from the Feb. 14 SBEC meeting

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met today and discussed plans to conduct a full review of their rules pertaining to educator preparation programs. Over the next few months, the board will consider revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 227, Provisions for Educator Preparation Candidates; Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs and Chapter 229, Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs. The board also discussed impending changes to certification exams administered for generalist certificates. Pursuant to last year's House Bill (HB) 2012, which ATPE supported, candidates applying for Generalist EC-6 and Generalist 4-8 certificates will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in each of the four core subject areas, which necessitates the use of new certification tests. The newer, more rigorous exams will be available in January 2015, but SBEC will continue to offer the current Generalist EC-6 and Generalist 4-8 tests through August 2015. Certification candidates who choose to take the existing tests will have until the fall of 2017 to complete all of their certification requirements. To help distinguish between the old and new tests, SBEC also expects to rename the affected generalist certificates to "Core Subjects EC-6" and "Core Subjects 4-8." Holders of the new certificates will be eligible for assignment to teach the same grades and subjects as those certified under the current Generalist EC-6 and Generalist 4-8 certificates. This decision to allow for a two-year overlap during the transition to these new tests marks a sharp turn from the board's original plan that would have required all certification candidates to take the new tests begining this fall. In response to concerns voiced by board members at the previous meeting, the Texas Education Agency is also looking for ways to allow candidates who fail a single subject on the new tests to retake only the section of the test pertaining to that subject rather than retaking the entire exam. The next SBEC meeting will be a board workshop, scheduled for April 4. Stay tuned to Teach the Vote for more updates from ATPE.