Repealed Date: 09/01/2024

(a) An educator preparation program (EPP) that is consolidating or closing must comply with the following procedures to ensure that all issues relevant to EPP consolidation or closure have been addressed.
  (1) The EPP must submit a letter on official letterhead to Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff signed by the legal authority of the EPP that contains a formal statement of consolidation or closing with an effective date of August 31 for consolidation or closure.
  (2) The EPP must contact candidates currently in the EPP with notification of consolidation or closure and the steps candidates must take in relation to their status. The EPP shall maintain evidence of the attempts to notify each candidate.
  (3) The EPP shall not admit candidates or recommend candidates for an intern or probationary certificate within one year of the August 31 closure date.
  (4) The EPP must identify and keep current a representative's name, electronic mail address, and telephone number that will be valid for five years after an EPP's closure to provide access to candidate records and responses to former candidate's questions and/or issues. If an EPP is consolidating, the candidate records will transfer to the new EPP.
  (5) The EPP must complete required State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and TEA actions, including required submissions of information, surveys, and other accountability data; removal of security accesses; reconciliation of certification recommendations; and payment of the Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs technology fee as specified in §229.9(7) of this title (relating to Fees for Educator Preparation Program Approval and Accountability).
(b) The chief operating officer, legal authority, or a member of the governing body of an EPP that fails to comply with the consolidation or closure procedures in this section is not eligible to be recommended to the SBEC for approval as an EPP.
(c) The chief operating officer, legal authority, or a member of the governing body of an EPP that closes voluntarily due to pending TEA or SBEC action or involuntarily due to SBEC action is not eligible to be recommended to the SBEC for approval as an EPP.
(d) If an EPP is consolidating and fails to comply with the consolidation procedures in this section, TEA staff may make a recommendation that the SBEC impose sanctions affecting the new EPP's accreditation status in accordance with §229.5 of this title (relating to Accreditation Sanctions and Procedures) and/or continuing approval status in accordance with §229.6 of this title (relating to Continuing Approval).
(e) If an EPP violates any of the requirements as prescribed in subsection (a)(1)-(5) of this section, TEA staff will recommend revocation of the EPP's continuing approval to recommend candidates in accordance with §229.6(c) of this title.

Source Note: The provisions of this §228.15 adopted to be effective December 27, 2016, 41 TexReg 10280; amended to be effective October 15, 2020, 45 TexReg 7255