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

1. (1) Academic year - September 1 through August 31.
2. (2) Acceptable - A minimum criterion set by the Board.
3. (3) Beginning educator - A person employed within the first two years after completing educator preparation program requirements in an accredited preparation program, who passed the appropriate assessment(s) for the field of certification pursued and was issued a Texas certificate, and who was assigned in his/her area of certification.
4. (4) Certification field - Professional development (elementary and secondary) and delivery system fields, academic or career and technology content fields, special education fields, or professional fields in which an entity is approved to offer certification.
5. (5) Cohort group - A group of persons admitted and beginning an educator preparation program in an academic year.
6. (6) Combined pass rate - The combined success of the first-year or cumulative test takers from two or three consecutive academic years. Formula: The sum of the dividends used in calculating each individual academic year's pass rate divided by the sum of the divisors used in calculating each individual academic year's pass rate.
7. (7) Cumulative (two-year) pass rate - The success of the previous academic year's initial test takers over the two-year period. The rate reflects a candidate's success on the last attempt on that test within the two academic years. Formula: For tests initially attempted during the previous academic year, the number of successful (i.e., passing) last attempts within the two-year academic period divided by the total number of last attempts within the two-year academic period.
8. (8) Educator preparation program - An entity approved by the Board to recommend candidates in one or more certification fields. For the purposes of this chapter "program" and "entity" are used interchangeably.
9. (9) First-year pass rate - Candidates' success on tests during the academic year in which those tests are initially attempted. The rate reflects a candidate's success on the last attempt on that test within the academic year in which the test was taken for the first time. Formula: For tests initially attempted during the current academic year, the number of successful (i.e., passing) last attempts within the year divided by the total number of last attempts.
10. (10) Performance indicators - Data elements about a cohort of persons admitted to an educator preparation program in an academic year, including preparation for all certification fields.

Source Note:The provisions of this §229.2 adopted to be effective March 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 1021; amended to be effective September 2, 1999, 24 TexReg 6745.