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--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. (2) ACT®--The college entrance examination from ACT®.
3. (3) Administrator--For purposes of the surveys and information required by this chapter, an educator whose certification would entitle him or her to be assigned as a principal or assistant principal in Texas, whether or not he or she is currently working in such an assignment.
4. (4) 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.
5. (5) Beginning teacher--For purposes of this chapter, a classroom teacher with less than three years experience.
6. (6) Campus-based mentor--A certified educator assigned by the campus administrator who has completed mentor training; who guides, assists, and supports the beginning teacher; and who reports the beginning teacher's progress to that teacher's educator preparation program.
7. (7) Candidate--An individual who has been admitted into an educator preparation program, including an individual who has been accepted on a contingency basis; also referred to as an enrollee or participant.
8. (8) Certification field--Academic or career and technical content fields, special education fields, specializations, or professional fields in which an entity is approved to offer certification.
9. (9) Clinical teaching--A minimum 12-week, full-day or 24-week, half-day 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.
10. (10) Completer--According to the Higher Education Act, "A person who has met all the requirements of a state-approved educator preparation program." The term completer is no longer used to define the class of educator preparation program candidates subject to a determination of certification examination pass rate.
11. (11) Consecutively measured years--Consecutive years for which a group's performance is measured, excluding years in which the small group exception applies, in accordance with §229.4(g) of this title (relating to Determination of Accreditation Status).
12. (12) Cooperating teacher--The campus-based mentor teacher for the clinical teacher.
13. (13) Demographic group--Male and female, as to gender; the aggregate reporting categories established by the Higher Education Act, as to race and ethnicity. Each educator preparation program will assign a candidate to one gender demographic group and at least one Higher Education Act-established race or ethnicity group.
14. (14) 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 fields.
15. (15) Educator preparation program data--Data elements reported to meet requirements under the Texas Education Code, §21.045(b).
16. (16) Examination--An examination or other test required by statute or any other State Board for Educator Certification rule codified in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 7, that governs an individual's admission to an educator preparation program, certification as an educator, continuation as an educator, or advancement as an educator.
17. (17) 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 campus mentor or cooperating teacher, assigned as required by §228.35(e) of this title (relating to Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training), may not also serve as a field supervisor.
18. (18) First year in the classroom--For purposes of the Texas Education Code, §21.045(a)(4), and its implementation in this chapter, the first year of employment as a classroom teacher.
19. (19) GPA--Grade point average.
20. (20) GRE®--Graduate Record Examinations®.
21. (21) Higher Education Act--Federal legislation consisting of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 United States Code, §1070 et seq.) and its subsequent amendments, which requires reports of educator preparation program performance data.
22. (22) Institutional report--Educator preparation program data reported to the United States Department of Education and the Texas Education Agency as required under the Higher Education Act.
23. (23) Internship--A supervised, full-time educator 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.
24. (24) Pass rate--For each academic year, the percent of tests passed by candidates who have finished all educator preparation program requirements for coursework; training; and internship, clinical teaching, or practicum by the end of that academic year. For purposes of determining the pass rate, candidates shall not be excluded because the candidate has not been recommended for certification, has not passed a certification examination, or is not considered a "completer" for purposes of the Higher Education Act or other applicable law. The pass rate is based solely on the examinations required to obtain certification in the field(s) for which the candidate serves his or her internship, clinical teaching, or practicum. Examinations not required for certification in that field or fields, whether taken before or after admission to an educator preparation program, are not included. The rate reflects a candidate's success only on the last attempt made on the examination by the end of the academic year in which the candidate finishes the coursework; training; and internship, clinical teaching, or practicum program requirements, and does not reflect any attempts made after that year. The formula for calculation of pass rate is the number of successful (i.e., passing) last attempts made by candidates who have finished the specified educator preparation program requirements divided by the total number of last attempts made by those candidates.
25. (25) Practicum--A supervised professional 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 field for which a professional certificate is sought such as superintendent, principal, school counselor, school librarian, educational diagnostician, reading specialist, and/or master teacher.
26. (26) SAT®--The college entrance examination from the College Board.
27. (27) Scaled score--A conversion of a candidate's raw score on an examination or a version of the examination to a common scale that allows for a numerical comparison between candidates.
28. (28) 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.

Source Note:The provisions of this §229.2 adopted to be effective April 18, 2010, 35 TexReg 2849; amended to be effective October 26, 2014, 39 TexReg 8395.