In this subchapter:

1. (1) "Alternative partnership preservice program" means the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership Alternative Preservice Program established under Section 21.905.
2. (2) "Board" means the State Board for Educator Certification.

3. (3) "Cooperating teacher" means a classroom teacher who:

   1. (A) has at least three full school years of teaching experience with a superior record of assisting students in achieving improvement in student performance;
   2. (B) is employed as a teacher of record by a school district or open-enrollment charter school participating in a partnership preservice program or grow your own partnership program under this subchapter and paired with one or more teacher candidates, students, or employees who are participating in a program under this subchapter; and
   3. (C) provides coaching in the teacher's classroom to one or more teacher candidates, students, or employees participating in a program under this subchapter.
4. (4) "Grow your own partnership program" means the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership Grow Your Own Partnership Program established under Section 21.906.
5. (5) "Mentor teacher" means a mentor teacher as described by Section 21.458.
6. (6) "Partnership preservice program" means a Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership Preservice Program established under Section 21.902.
7. (7) "Residency partnership preservice program" means the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership Residency Preservice Program established under Section 21.904.
8. (8) "Teacher candidate" means a person enrolled in an educator preparation program participating in a partnership preservice program.
9. (9) "Traditional partnership preservice program" means the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership Traditional Preservice Program established under Section 21.903.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1065 (H.B. 2), Sec. 2.17, eff. June 20, 2025.