The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met Friday to approve changes to rule text regarding continuing professional education (CPE) hours, as well as to discuss a review of Educator Preparation Program requirements and development of a new Effective Preparation Framework for Educator Preparation Programs.   

The board approved changes to rule text in 19 TAC 232, which governs CPE hours. The rule changes make it clear that teachers and counselors are not limited to the number of professional development hours required by the state for certification renewal and can take more if they choose. Currently, teachers must take 150 hours of professional development every five years, and counselors and administrators must take 200 hours. This change clarifies the intent of HB 2929, which was passed earlier this year, and deals with the training hours and areas of training required for teachers and counselors.  

The board also approved proposed revisions to 19 TAC 234, which governs certification for military servicemembers, spouses, and veterans. The proposed changes bring the code into compliance with several pieces of legislation passed this session—SB 422, which adds military servicemembers to a current law that allows military spouses to obtain certification; HB 621, which allows military servicemembers to serve in CTE classrooms on a new, three-year temporary certificate while working to obtain full certification; and SB 544, which allows instructors at the Community College of the Air Force to obtain a temporary, one-year teaching certification.  

The board discussed the repeal and replacement of 19 TAC 228, which contains requirements for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). ATPE, through our involvement with the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation (TCEP), provided testimony on the importance of ensuring that performance assessments, such as EdTPA, are not used as certification exams but are instead used as integral components of the curriculum for teacher preparation. TCEP testified that a rubric could be developed to evaluate the use of a performance assessment in teacher residencies. TCEP also provided intern certificate recommendations to be incorporated into the new rule text. The board will come back in December after additional stakeholder engagement to adopt a final proposal.  

Finally, the board received an update on the redesign and implementation of the Effective Preparation Framework for Educator Preparation Programs. This new framework is being developed in order to measure growth and areas of improvement for Educator Preparation Programs. TEA will work over the next several months to design a continuous review process—and determine how much it will cost EPPs to implement, with a goal of full framework implementation by the 2026-27 school year. TCEP provided testimony on the importance of stakeholder feedback in the development of rubrics to measure program quality and urged the board to ensure the rubric was not so prescriptive as to stifle innovation by EPPs.  

The full meeting agenda is available here. The board will next meet Dec. 8.