1. (a) General provisions.

   1. (1) The commissioner of education shall establish the Preparing and Retaining Educators Through Partnership (PREP) Residency Preservice Program as a partnership preservice program to enable qualified educator preparation programs (EPPs), as determined by the commissioner, that meet the teacher residency preparation requirements under Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.04422, to form partnerships with school districts and eligible charter schools to prepare candidates for an enhanced standard certificate. Partnerships participating in this program must meet all general provisions described in §153.1302 of this subchapter (relating to General Provisions for the Preparing and Retaining Educators Through Partnership Program).
   2. (2) For residency preservice programs to receive funds under TEC, §21.904 and §48.157, they must meet all provisions described in §153.1302 of this subchapter and the program standards listed in this section.

2. (b) PREP Residency Preservice Program eligibility.

   1. (1) School district and charter school eligibility. School districts and eligible charter schools must have at least one partnership with an approved EPP that has met the eligibility requirements described in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

   2. (2) EPP eligibility.

      1. (A) To participate in the PREP Residency Preservice Program in the 2026-2027 school year, all EPPs must have received previous State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) approval to offer the Teacher Residency Preparation Route established under Chapter 228 of this title (relating to Educator Preparation Program Requirements).
      2. (B) To participate in the PREP Residency Preservice Program in the 2027-2028 school year and beyond, all EPPs must have received SBEC approval to offer the PREP Teacher Residency Preparation Route established through SBEC rulemaking authority in Chapter 228 of this title.

3. (c) Program standards. The partnership must meet all residency preservice partnership requirements described in TEC, §21.902 and §21.904, and requirements for the preparation route under TEC, §21.04422, and Chapter 228 of this title. The residency preservice program partnership shall:

   1. (1) develop and submit to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), upon request, a written partnership agreement with at least one approved EPP, with an attestation and explanation of how the partnership shall meet the standards described in this subsection;
   2. (2) provide the teacher resident with a year-long clinical teaching experience aligned to the candidate's certification area in a prekindergarten-Grade 12 classroom. Candidates must meet all requirements for clinical teaching hours and placement described in §228.65 of this title (relating to Residency). The school district or eligible charter school must support the completion of these requirements;
   3. (3) ensure the teacher resident does not serve as a teacher of record while completing the PREP Residency Preservice Program under TEC, §21.902(e). Teacher resident engagement in responsibilities held by a teacher of record for the purpose of learning must meet the requirements described in TEC, §21.902(f);
   4. (4) work collaboratively to ensure that a candidate's schedule supports the candidate's ability to access and complete all required coursework in the residency program;

   5. (5) select and pair the host teacher with the teacher resident.

      1. (A) For the 2026-2027 school year, the school district or eligible charter school will work with the EPP to ensure and track that the host teacher completes all training requirements as described in Chapter 228 of this title.
      2. (B) For the 2027-2028 school year, the school district or eligible charter school will be responsible for registering the host teacher to complete the TEA-developed Texas Mentorship Training. The school district and eligible charter school will ensure and track that the host teacher completes all training requirements for initial participation and retraining requirements described in Chapter 228 of this title;
   6. (6) ensure that the teacher candidate is mentored by a mentor teacher who has completed the Texas Mentorship Training established under TEC, §21.907, for the candidate's first two years as a teacher of record after completing the partnership preservice program. This requirement only applies to teachers who are initially employed in the school district or eligible charter school where they completed their residency; and
   7. (7) commit to all other school district and eligible charter school partner requirements currently described in Chapter 228 of this title.

4. (d) Performance goals. Performance outcomes prioritize measurement of:

   1. (1) evidence of partnership requirements under subsection (c)(1)-(7) of this section;
   2. (2) percent of teacher residency candidates who complete certification requirements by attaining an enhanced standard certificate; and
   3. (3) teacher resident employment in Texas school districts and eligible charter schools.
5. (e) Timelines for periodic reviews. The commissioner will review the performance goals described in subsection (d) of this section for each participating residency preservice program beginning three years following the initial PREP Residency Preservice Program approval under §153.1302(a)(4) of this subchapter.

6. (f) Program funding.

   1. (1) School district and eligible charter school funding.

      1. (A) The school district or eligible charter school will receive initial payment per TEC, §48.157(j)(2), for up to 40 residents.
      2. (B) The school district or eligible charter school will receive the remaining allotment as described under TEC, §48.157(b)(2), upon the candidate's successful attainment of the enhanced standard certificate within one year of beginning the residency program.
      3. (C) The school district or eligible charter school may fund up to 80 additional teacher residents at the rate described in TEC, §48.157(g). Residents must still be compensated as described in TEC, §21.904(d). This provision is only applicable if the school district or eligible charter school exceeds the total number of candidates under TEC, §48.157(f)(1).
   2. (2) EPP funding. The EPP will receive funding described under TEC, §48.157(h), when each teacher resident completes a full year of employment in a Texas school district or eligible charter school as a teacher of record following attainment of the enhanced standard certificate.

7. (g) Program spending. Money received under TEC, §48.157, may be used only to implement the PREP Residency Preservice Program and must meet the following spending requirements.

   1. (1) School districts and eligible charter schools shall use funds provided under TEC, §48.157(b)(2), to compensate teacher residents and host teachers as described in TEC, §21.904(c). Teacher residents must be additionally compensated as described in TEC, §21.904(d). The remaining discretionary funding under TEC, §48.157(b)(2), must be used to support the residency preservice program (for example, paying for the TEA-adopted Texas Mentorship Training or funding salaries for program implementation supports, EPP partner supports, expansion of host teacher stipends, or strategic staffing training and support).
   2. (2) EPPs must meet spending requirements pertaining to EPPs under TEC, §48.157(h).

Source Note:The provisions of this §153.1303 adopted to be effective May 17, 2026, 51 TexReg 3129.