Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0520 - Education
Subtitle 0520-02 - State Board of Education Teacher Regulations
Chapter 0520-02-04 - Educator Preparation
Section 0520-02-04-.02 - DEFINITIONS

(1) "Annual report" means detailed, candidate-level data for each Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) compiled each year. Annual reports provide evidence of EPP effectiveness and are used for ongoing approval.

(2) "Candidate" means an individual enrolled in an educator preparation program that has been approved by the State Board.

(3) "CMO" means a Charter Management Organization that is a non-profit entity that manages or operates two (2) or more public charter schools in Tennessee.

(4) "Clinical experiences" means guided, hands-on, practical applications and demonstrations of professional knowledge of theory to practice, skills, and dispositions through collaborative and facilitated learning in field-based assignments, tasks, activities, and assessments across a variety of settings.

(5) "Clinical practice" means student teaching, internship, or job embedded opportunities that provide candidates with sustained school-based responsibilities, assignments, tasks, and assessments that allow a candidate to demonstrate the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be an effective educator.

(6) "Completer" means an individual who has completed the requirements of an educator preparation program that has been approved by the State Board.

(7) "Comprehensive review" means the review that each EPP must complete every seven (7) years in order to maintain state approval.

(8) "Conditional approval" means the provider or specialty area program has met preconditions and demonstrated alignment to all appropriate standards and expectations. The provider or specialty area program has not yet been reviewed for the purpose of obtaining full approval.

(9) "Department" means the Tennessee Department of Education.

(10) "Endorsement Area" means the subject and/or grade level for which a licensed educator is prepared to provide instruction, leadership, or services in schools or districts. When applying for licensure, each teacher candidate must meet requirements in at least one (1) area of endorsement.

(11) "EPP" means an Educator Preparation Provider responsible for managing, operating, or coordinating programs for the preparation and licensure of teachers and other school personnel that has been approved by the State Board.

(12) "ERO" means a Tennessee-based Education-Related Organization.

(13) "Focused review" means a review of an EPP that is triggered when an EPP does not meet one (1) or more standards during the comprehensive review.

(14) "Full approval" means the approval status of an EPP that has met the requirements for initial approval, been approved by the State Board, has participated in the annual review process each year, and has undergone a comprehensive review every seven (7) years.

(15) "IHE" means an Institution of Higher Education.

(16) "Initial approval" means the first step of approval for new EPPs. The initial approval period shall last for a minimum of three (3) years and a maximum of five (5) years.

(17) "Instructional Leader Preparation Program (ILPP)" means a program that is approved for the preparation of school leaders.

(18) "Interim review" means a review of an EPP or an individual SAP that is triggered by performance that is below expectations on the annual report for a minimum of two (2) consecutive years.

(19) "LEA" means a Tennessee Local Education Agency.

(20) "Primary partnership" means a partnership between an EPP and one (1) or more LEAs or CMOs in which both parties collaborate to establish an explicit process for identifying and responding to LEA- or CMO-identified areas of need, developing candidate selection criteria, and designing and implementing high-quality, needs-based clinical experiences.

(21) "Physical presence" means the entity has real estate and human capital within the boundaries of the state of Tennessee for the purpose of preparing educators.

(22) "SAP" means a Specialty Area Program that is a planned sequence of courses and experiences designed to provide educators with an additional, specific set of knowledge and skills or to expand and enhance an existing set of knowledge and skills.

(23) "State Board" means the Tennessee State Board of Education.

(24) "State-recognized partnership" means a partnership between an EPP and each LEA and/or CMO where enrolled candidates will complete any aspect of clinical experiences that has been submitted to the Department for recognition.

(25) "Stipulation" means findings that require an EPP to address identified deficiencies in order to meet standards and expectations.

(26) "Substantial change" means a variation from the original design that implements new requirements or expectations.