TCTA founding member of new coalition focused on improving educator preparation

After spending the last several years working collectively with other major education groups and educator preparation programs to thwart efforts to replace the current pedagogy certification exam with edTPA, an expensive performance assessment exam, TCTA joined in formalizing the group to more effectively and broadly address issues surrounding educator preparation going forward.

The mission of the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation, of which TCTA is a founding member, is to advance and raise the profile of the education profession by supporting the continuous improvement of educator recruitment, preparation, and certification practices, as well as by promoting ongoing professional growth and support.

As a newly formed coalition, TCEP is still growing in membership and developing its operating principles, but given heightened state-level activity around educator preparation issues, took the opportunity to engage as a coalition in several recent events. In its debut, TCEP held an information briefing for legislative offices regarding performance assessment and educator preparation, during which several of the founding members of TCEP, including TCTA, gave presentations to legislative staff.

Additionally, TCEP gave testimony during the recent joint hearing of the House Public Education and House Higher Education committees on the state’s teacher workforce, including improving the recruitment, preparation, and retention of high-quality educators.

Most recently, TCEP gave testimony at the Sept. 30, 2022, State Board for Educator Certification meeting, regarding ways to improve the consistency of preparation of teacher candidates across all programs, as well as to improve the experience of new teachers in the classroom, and enhance retention in the profession. Given the level of interest in educator preparation issues among policymakers, TCEP expects to continue to be highly engaged in these issues throughout the next couple of months and the upcoming legislative session.