Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) An educator preparation program (EPP)
that is consolidating or closing, whether as an entire program or only for
specific individual certification categories or classes and whether voluntarily
or by order of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), must comply
with the following procedures to ensure that all issues relevant to EPP
consolidation or closure have been addressed.
(1) The EPP shall submit a letter on official
letterhead to Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff signed by the legal authority
of the EPP that contains a formal statement of consolidation or closure with a
specified effective date for consolidation or closure at least 90 days and no
more than 270 days after the date of the letter.
(2) The legal authority of the EPP shall meet
with TEA staff weekly between the date of the notice letter required in
paragraph (1) of this subsection and the date of closure.
(3) The EPP shall contact the following types
of candidates, either in the entire program or in the impacted certification
category or class depending on the scope of the closure, with notification of
consolidation or closure and the steps candidates must take in relation to
their status, and shall maintain evidence of the attempts to notify each
candidate:
(A) currently enrolled
candidates;
(B) candidates who have
been enrolled within the previous five years; and
(C) completers within the previous five
years.
(4) The EPP shall
not admit candidates or recommend candidates for an intern or probationary
certificate within one year of its closure date.
(5) The EPP shall identify approved EPPs to
provide test approval and standard certification recommendations for completers
at the closing EPP.
(A) The closing EPP shall
provide its candidates with a list of approved EPPs that can continue to
support completers through test approval and standard certification.
(B) To expedite the candidates' transfer to
other programs, the closing EPP shall provide each candidate with appropriate
documentation, such as a transcript or transfer form, reflecting all program
requirements the candidate has met.
(6) For five years after an EPP's closure,
the EPP must identify and keep current a representative's name, electronic mail
address, and telephone number to provide access to candidate records and
responses to former candidate's questions and/or issues. If an EPP is
consolidating, the candidate records will transfer to the new EPP.
(7) The EPP must complete required SBEC and
TEA actions, including required submissions of information, surveys, and other
accountability data; removal of security accesses; reconciliation of
certification recommendations; and payment of the Accountability System for
Educator Preparation Programs technology fee as specified in §
229.9 of this title (relating to
Fees for Educator Preparation Program Approval and
Accountability).
(b) The
chief operating officer, legal authority, or a member of the governing body of
an EPP that fails to comply with the consolidation or closure procedures in
this section is not eligible to apply for SBEC approval to offer an
EPP.
(c) The chief operating
officer, legal authority, or a member of the governing body of an EPP that
closes voluntarily due to pending TEA or SBEC action or involuntarily due to
SBEC action is not eligible to apply for SBEC approval to offer an
EPP.
(d) If an EPP is consolidating
or closing only individual certification classes or categories and fails to
comply with the consolidation procedures in this section, TEA staff may make a
recommendation that the SBEC impose sanctions affecting the new EPP's
accreditation status in accordance with §
229.5 of this title (relating to
Accreditation Sanctions and Procedures) and/or continuing approval status in
accordance with §
229.6 of this title (relating to
Continuing Approval).
(e) If an EPP
violates any of the requirements as prescribed in subsection (a)(1)-(7) of this
section, TEA staff shall recommend revocation of the EPP's continuing approval
to prepare and recommend candidates for certification in accordance with §
229.6(c) of this
title.
