SBEC Preview: Certification, Sanctions, Standards Dominate the Agenda

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) will meet in Austin next Thursday and Friday, Sept.19-20. Some action items are anticipated, but most of the agenda will continue with discussions on topics that we have seen at the last few meetings.

In an unusual move for the body, they will begin the meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday. Discussion items will dominate the board's agenda, but these will be weighty items related to educator sanctions and discipline, teacher pedagogy standards, teacher assignment rules, and the teacher candidate experience.

In July, Texas AFT delivered testimony in alignment with its partners at the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation (TCEP) regarding the proposed revisions to the teacher pedagogy standards in 19 TAC Chapter 235. This September meeting presents another opportunity for the board and stakeholders to comment on the draft rules before they go to proposal in November. As we covered in the previous recap, these rules will impact the commissioner's teacher standards (19 TAC 149) and eventually the teacher evaluation instrument, Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS).

Since the last SBEC meeting, Texas AFT has also participated in stakeholder meetings and submitted comments on proposed changes to 19 TAC Chapter 249 related to educator discipline. Many of the proposed changes were concerning. These rules are attempting to clarify, among other issues, what constitutes "grooming" and documentation needed to support contract abandonment. This continues to be a discussion item, and Texas AFT legal staff will continue monitoring these deliberations.

Discussion from the July meeting also carries over on TAC Chapter 231 related to teacher assignments for special education and the need for content area certification. The Texas Education Agency seems to acknowledge the need for continued flexibility for inclusion teachers, especially at the secondary level, so that students can get the support they need from a qualified special education teacher without unduly burdening those same teachers to get additional certifications.

As promised to the State Board of Education (SBOE) in April, SBEC is taking up a proposal to make minor changes to the recently adopted 19 TAC Chapter 228 rules for educator preparation. The overarching goal is to create more flexibility - including time spent in professional development or supervising extracurricular activities - in meeting the hours required for clinical teaching. The board hopes to have these approved by the SBOE in the spring.