SECTION 228.2. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Academic year--If not referring to the academic year of a particular public, private, or charter school or institution of higher education, September 1 through August 31.

(2) Accredited institution of higher education--An institution of higher education that, at the time it conferred the degree, was accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

(3) Alternative certification program--An approved educator preparation program, delivered by entities described in §228.20(a) of this title (relating to Governance of Educator Preparation Programs), specifically designed as an alternative to a traditional undergraduate certification program, for individuals already holding at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.

(4) Benchmarks--A record similar to a transcript for each candidate enrolled in an educator preparation program documenting the completion of admission, program, certification, and other requirements.

(5) Campus supervisor--A school administrator or designee responsible for the annual performance appraisal of an intern.

(6) Candidate--An individual who has been formally or contingently admitted into an educator preparation program; also referred to as an enrollee or participant.

(7) Candidate coach--A person as defined in §228.33(b)(1)-(3) of this title (relating to Intensive Pre-Service) who participates in a minimum of four observation/feedback coaching cycles provided by program supervisors, completes a Texas Education Agency-approved observation training or has completed a minimum of 150 hours of observation/feedback training, and has current certification in the class in which supervision is provided.

(8) Certification category--A certificate type within a certification class, as described in Chapter 233 of this title (relating to Categories of Classroom Teaching Certificates).

(9) Certification class--A certificate, as described in §230.33 of this title (relating to Classes of Certificates), that has defined characteristics; may contain one or more certification categories, as described in Chapter 233 of this title.

(10) Classroom teacher--An educator who is employed by a school or district and who, not less than an average of four hours each day, teaches in an academic instructional setting or a career and technical instructional setting. This term does not include an educational aide or a full-time administrator.

(11) Clinical teaching--A supervised educator assignment through an educator preparation program at a public school accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or other school approved by the TEA for this purpose that may lead to completion of a standard certificate; also referred to as student teaching.

(12) Clock-hours--The actual number of hours of coursework or training provided; for purposes of calculating the training and coursework required by this chapter, one semester credit hour at an accredited institution of higher education is equivalent to 15 clock-hours. Clock-hours of field-based experiences, clinical teaching, internship, and practicum are actual hours spent in the required educational activities and experiences.

(13) Contingency admission--Admission as described in §227.15 of this title (relating to Contingency Admission).

(14) Cooperating teacher--For a clinical teacher candidate, an educator who is collaboratively assigned by the educator preparation program (EPP) and campus administrator; who has at least three years of teaching experience; who is an accomplished educator as shown by student learning; who has completed cooperating teacher training, including training in how to coach and mentor teacher candidates, by the EPP within three weeks of being assigned to a clinical teacher; who is currently certified in the certification category for the clinical teaching assignment for which the clinical teacher candidate is seeking certification; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate during the candidate's clinical teaching in areas such as planning, classroom management, instruction, assessment, working with parents, obtaining materials, district policies; and who reports the candidate's progress to that candidate's field supervisor.

(15) Educator preparation program--An entity that must be approved by the State Board for Educator Certification to recommend candidates in one or more educator certification classes.

(16) Entity--The legal entity that is approved to deliver an educator preparation program.

(17) Field-based experiences--Introductory experiences for a classroom teacher certification candidate involving, at the minimum, reflective observation of Early Childhood-Grade 12 students, teachers, and faculty/staff members engaging in educational activities in a school setting.

(18) Field supervisor--A currently certified educator, hired by the educator preparation program, who preferably has advanced credentials, to observe candidates, monitor their performance, and provide constructive feedback to improve their effectiveness as educators. A field supervisor shall have at least three years of experience and current certification in the class in which supervision is provided. A field supervisor shall be an accomplished educator as shown by student learning. A field supervisor with experience as a campus-level administrator and who holds a current certificate that is appropriate for a principal assignment may also supervise classroom teacher, master teacher, and reading specialist candidates. A field supervisor with experience as a district-level administrator and who holds a current certificate that is appropriate for a superintendent assignment may also supervise principal candidates. If an individual is not currently certified, an individual must hold at least a master's degree in the academic area or field related to the certification class for which supervision is being provided and comply with the same number, content, and type of continuing professional education requirements described in §232.11 of this title (relating to Number and Content of Required Continuing Professional Education Hours) and §232.15 of this title (relating to Types of Acceptable Continuing Professional Education Activities). A field supervisor shall not be employed by the same school where the candidate being supervised is completing his or her clinical teaching, internship, or practicum. A mentor, cooperating teacher, or site supervisor, assigned as required by §228.35(f) of this title (relating to Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training), may not also serve as a candidate's field supervisor.

(19) Formal admission--Admission as described in §227.17 of this title (relating to Formal Admission).

(20) Head Start Program--The federal program established under the Head Start Act (42 United States Code, §9801 et seq.) and its subsequent amendments.

(21) Initial certification--The first Texas certificate in a class of certificate issued to an individual based on participation in an approved educator preparation program.

(22) Intensive Pre-Service--An educator assignment supervised by an educator preparation program accredited and approved by the State Board for Educator Certification prior to a candidate meeting the requirements for issuance of intern and probationary certificates.

(23) Intern certificate--A type of certificate as specified in §230.36 of this title (relating to Intern Certificates) that is issued to a candidate who has passed all required content pedagogy certification examinations and is completing initial requirements for certification through an approved educator preparation program.

(24) Internship--A paid supervised classroom teacher assignment for one full school year at a public school accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or other school approved by the TEA for this purpose that may lead to completion of a standard certificate.

(25) Late hire--An individual who has not been accepted into an educator preparation program before the 45th day before the first day of instruction and who is hired for a teaching assignment by a school after the 45th day before the first day of instruction or after the school's academic year has begun.

(26) Mentor--For an internship candidate, an educator who is collaboratively assigned by the campus administrator and the educator preparation program (EPP); who has at least three years of teaching experience; who is an accomplished educator as shown by student learning; who has completed mentor training, including training in how to coach and mentor teacher candidates, by an EPP within three weeks of being assigned to the intern; who is currently certified in the certification category in which the internship candidate is seeking certification; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate during the internship in areas such as planning, classroom management, instruction, assessment, working with parents, obtaining materials, district policies; and who reports the candidate's progress to that candidate's field supervisor.

(27) Pedagogy--The art and science of teaching, incorporating instructional methods that are developed from scientifically-based research.

(28) Post-baccalaureate program--An educator preparation program, delivered by an accredited institution of higher education and approved by the State Board for Educator Certification to recommend candidates for certification, that is designed for individuals who already hold at least a bachelor's degree and are seeking an additional degree.

(29) Practicum--A supervised educator assignment at a public school accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or other school approved by the TEA for this purpose that is in a school setting in the particular class for which a certificate in a class other than classroom teacher is sought.

(30) Probationary certificate--A type of certificate as specified in §230.37 of this title (relating to Probationary Certificates) that is issued to a candidate who has passed all required certification examinations and is completing requirements for certification through an approved educator preparation program.

(31) School day--If not referring to the school day of a particular public or private school, a school day shall be at least seven hours (420 minutes) each day, including intermissions and recesses.

(32) School year--If not referring to the school year of a particular public or private school, a school year shall provide at least 180 days (75,600 minutes) of instruction for students.

(33) Site supervisor--For a practicum candidate, an educator who has at least three years of experience in the aspect(s) of the certification class being pursued by the candidate; who is collaboratively assigned by the campus or district administrator and the educator preparation program (EPP); who is currently certified in the certification class in which the practicum candidate is seeking certification; who has completed training by the EPP, including training in how to coach and mentor candidates, within three weeks of being assigned to a practicum candidate; who is an accomplished educator as shown by student learning; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate during the practicum; and who reports the candidate's progress to the candidate's field supervisor.

(34) Students with disabilities--A student who is eligible to participate in a school district's special education program under Texas Education Code, §29.003, is covered by Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794), or is covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.).

(35) Texas Education Agency staff--Staff of the Texas Education Agency assigned by the commissioner of education to perform the State Board for Educator Certification's administrative functions and services.

(36) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)--The kindergarten-Grade 12 state curriculum in Texas adopted by the State Board of Education and used as the foundation of all state certification examinations.

Source Note: The provisions of this §228.2 adopted to be effective July 11, 1999, 24 TexReg 5011; amended to be effective October 12, 2003, 28 TexReg 8608; amended to be effective December 14, 2008, 33 TexReg 10016; amended to be effective December 26, 2010, 35 TexReg 11239; amended to be effective August 12, 2012, 37 TexReg 5747; amended to be effective October 27, 2014, 39 TexReg 8388; amended to be effective December 27, 2016, 41 TexReg 10280; amended to be effective December 20, 2018, 43 TexReg 8091; amended to be effective October 20, 2019, 44 TexReg 5903; amended to be effective October 15, 2020, 45 TexReg 7255; amended to be effective September 1, 2022, 47 TexReg 2750