PART 2. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CHAPTER 151. COMMISSIONER'S RULES CONCERNING PASSING STANDARDS FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) adopts an amendment to §151.1001, concerning passing standards for educator certification examinations. The amendment is adopted without changes to the proposed text as published in the June 28, 2024 issue of the Texas Register (49 TexReg 4680) and will not be republished. The adopted amendment specifies the satisfactory scores for the examinations for English Language Arts and Reading 7-12; Health Early Childhood (EC)-12; Physical Education EC-12; edTPA: Elementary Literacy; edTPA: Elementary Mathematics; edTPA: Early Childhood Education; edTPA: Elementary Education-Mathematics with Literacy Task 4; and edTPA: Career and Technical Education and remove Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities for Trade and Industrial Education 6-12.
REASONED JUSTIFICATION: Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.048(a), requires the commissioner to establish the satisfactory levels of performance required on educator certification examinations and requires a satisfactory level of performance on each core subject covered by an examination. The adopted passing standards were established by subject-matter expert stakeholder committee groups.
Section 151.1001 specifies the passing standards for all pedagogical and content certification examinations as approved by the commissioner. The adopted amendment to Figure: 19 TAC §151.1001(b)(4) introduces passing standards for the English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 examination.
The adopted amendment to Figure: 19 TAC §151.1001(b)(7) introduces passing standards for the Health EC-12 and Physical Education EC-12 examinations.
The adopted amendment to Figure: 19 TAC §151.1001(b)(14) removes Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities for Trade and Industrial Education 6-12 TExES as a valid exam and introduces passing standards for the edTPA: Elementary Literacy; edTPA: Elementary Mathematics; edTPA: Early Childhood Education; edTPA: Elementary Education-Mathematics with Literacy Task 4; and edTPA: Career and Technical Education.
The average passing standard is expressed as an average raw cut score of all active forms of a test or the minimum proficiency level. It is critical to note that the actual raw cut scores may vary slightly from form to form to balance the overall difficulty of the test yet maintain consistency in scoring.
SUMMARY OF COMMENTS AND AGENCY RESPONSES: The public comment period on the proposal began June 28, 2024, and ended July 29, 2024. Following is a summary of the public comments received and agency responses.
Comment: The Texas-American Federation of Teachers and Texas State Teachers Association commented that Figure: 19 TAC §151.1001(b)(14) should reflect a numerical passing standard for all edTPA exams.
Response: The agency agrees that standard-setting activities should be completed to assign a numerical minimum passing score to each edTPA examination recently adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification. After recommended standards are established, TEA will propose changes to Figure: 19 TAC §151.1001(b)(14) to incorporate the standards.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY. The amendment is adopted under Texas Education Code, §21.048(a), which requires the commissioner of education to determine the level of performance considered to be satisfactory on educator certification examinations and further authorizes the commissioner to require a satisfactory level of performance on each core subject covered by an examination.
CROSS REFERENCE TO STATUTE. The amendment implements Texas Education Code, §21.048(a).
The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed the adoption and found it to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on September 18, 2024.
TRD-202404487
Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez
Director, Rulemaking
Texas Education Agency
Effective date: October 8, 2024
Proposal publication date: June 28, 2024
For further information, please call: (512) 475-1497