An entity may receive commendations for success in identified areas if the entity is rated Accredited. The Board will establish standards for the following areas in which an entity may be commended.
- (1) Preparation of persons for high need teaching fields. Based upon the Board's determination of fields of statewide and regional need, a commendation shall be awarded to an entity that successfully prepares a significant proportion of its candidates for certification in the fields of highest need. Areas of need will be established by the Board for periods of five years with the first period beginning September 1, 1997 through September 1, 2002.
(2) Diversity of candidates recommended for certification by an entity. A commendation shall be awarded to an entity meeting either of the following:
- (A) The entity recommends for certification a percent of ethnic minority candidates that is commendable based on a comparison with the distribution of the respective groups in the public school student population. The diversity of the student population of either the state or the education service center region in which the entity is located is the basis for the comparison; or
- (B) The entity recommends for certification a percent or number of ethnic minority candidates that, when compared to the percent or number of minority candidates recommended by the entity in the one or two academic previous years, shows growth that is commendable.
- (3) Certification pass rate. A commendation shall be awarded to an entity that demonstrates success through meeting a designated certification pass rate. Based on the most recent completer cohort, the certification pass rate is the percent of the candidates who completed a program for an initial (base) teacher certification during the academic year that passed all tests required for at least one initial (base) teacher certification. Test performances through December 31 following the year of completion of the program for the initial (base) certificate are used in calculating the certification pass rate.
Source Note:The provisions of this §229.5 adopted to be effective February 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 603.