edTPA Registration Now Available

The edTPA pilot has been formally approved by the State Board for Educator Certification and the State Board of Education.  The pilot edTPA assessments are now available in your test approval drop-down menu.  Programs will need to approve candidates for these assessments before they are able to register on the program website.  During the pilot period, both the edTPA pilot assessment and the EC-12 Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities assessment will appear.  Candidates need to meet only one of those requirements for certification purposes.  An edTPA alignment chart can be found here.

Direct your candidates to the following available resources on the program website:

• Review Getting Started to find resources to prepare for edTPA, read the eligibility requirements, access online training, identify your portfolio system, and review submission and reporting dates.
• Read the candidate policies for participation in edTPA.

 

PACT Resources Now Available

Some Texas-approved educator preparation programs require that candidates seeking admission take a Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT). Currently, the TExES exams are used as PACT exams. A new series of exams will be used for PACT candidates beginning in January 2020, pending adoption in October by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and approval in November by the State Board of Education (SBOE). The content of these new exams will be different from the TExES exams that are required to receive certification. Registration for the new PACT exams will open January 21, 2020, for testing appointments available beginning January 27, 2020.

Information about the new examinations and preparation materials is available on the program website here. (Select the drop-down option for PACT.)

The last day PACT candidates can take the current TExES exam for PACT is January 26, 2020. These exams will no longer be administered to PACT candidates after this date. Candidates planning to take the current PACT exams should register and schedule their exam appointments no later than January 20, 2020.

PACT candidates testing between now and January 26, 2020, should refer to the appropriate TExES exam webpage for testing information and applicable TExES preparation manual when studying for the exam.

Science of Teaching Reading

The Science of Teaching Reading test framework is available online.  All programs currently offering the certifications below will need to complete an application to add and be able to approve candidates to take the Science of Teaching Reading assessment.  This application will be released no later than January 1, 2020.  Additional information about early literacy training for teacher preparation programs and leadership preparation programs is forthcoming.

• EC-6 Core Subjects
• 4-8 Core Subjects
• 4-8 ELAR
• 4-8 ELAR/Social Studies

 

Upcoming Test Development

Below is a chart that summarizes the upcoming assessments and action for programs.

Principal/Principal as Instructional Leader Updates

The new Principal as Instructional Leader exam launched on July 29, 2019. To support candidates preparing for this exam, the preparation manual includes an overview of the exam framework and content, including sample exam questions. In addition, an updated interactive practice test was published in June 2019. Access to these materials is available on the program website here. A representative exam for use by EPPs is currently under development and is anticipated for release in August 2020.

Principal EC-12 Certificate (PRN)

The Principal EC-12 (PRN) certificate (test 068) will expire and will not be available for issuance on or after 10/31/2019. For candidates who met requirements for the PRN certificate by 8/31/2019, EPP recommendations must be made for the Standard PRN certificate on or before 10/30/2019. When recommending the certificate, the date identified as “the date the last requirement was met” must be on or before 8/31/2019. Standard PRN certificates that are issued with effective dates after 9/1/2019 will be canceled unless the EPP submits a certificate correction request to TEA.

Candidates that did not meet all requirements for the PRN certificate by 8/31/2019 must be transitioned to the Principal as Instructional Leader EC-12 certificate (tests 268 & 368).

EPPs must not recommend Intern or Probationary certificates for Principal EC-12.

Principal as Instructional Leader EC-12 Certificate (PIL)

The Principal as Instructional Leader EC-12 (PIL) certificate (tests 268 & 368) has replaced the Principal EC-12. All applicants seeking admission into a principal preparation program must be admitted as PIL candidates.

Candidates that passed the 968 (pilot) test or the 268 test and met requirements for the PIL on or before 8/31/2019 may be recommended for the Standard Principal as Instructional Leader EC-12 certificate without passing a PASL (test 368) if the recommendation is made by the EPP on or before 10/30/2019. When recommending the certificate, the date identified as “the date the last requirement was met” must be on or before 8/31/2019. Standard PIL certificates that are issued with effective dates after 9/1/2019 will be canceled if there is no passing score on the PASL (test 368).

Intern certificates may be recommended for the PIL. Certificates recommended 9/1/2019 or after require a passing score on the 268 exam.

19 TAC §230.37 requires both the 268 and 368 tests to be passed for issuance of a Probationary certificate for PIL until 10/20/2019.  After the rule change effective 10/20/2019, the PIL Probationary certificate will issue with the 268 only. A Probationary certificate issued with only a passing score on the 268 must have an effective date on or after 10/20/2019.