The requirements of this section shall apply to all AEL staff, excluding clerical and janitorial staff.

(1) AEL instructional aides, administrative, data entry, proctoring staff, and staff providing support or employment services to students shall have at least a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate.

(2) AEL directors, supervisors, and staff that oversee program assessment services and/or overall program accountability, and instructors in the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and English language acquisition, including substitutes, shall possess at least a bachelor's degree.

(3) Workforce training instructors must meet the requirements of the institution and/or the associated accrediting or credentialing entity, if applicable.

(4) Requests for exemptions for staff qualification requirements in individual cases: (A) may be submitted to the Agency for approval with a justification outlining extenuating circumstances; and (B) shall be submitted and approved prior to an individual being placed in the position in question.

(5) All AEL directors and supervisors, and other staff with program oversight or coordination responsibilities shall receive 15 clock hours of professional development each program year with the following exception: Staff hired on or after January 1 of a program year may require half of the professional development time required for that program year.

(6) All AEL instructional staff, including instructional aides providing instruction to students, except substitutes, paid with AEL grant funds or who acquire student contact hours, including volunteers, shall receive at least 15 clock hours of professional development each program year, with the following specifications: (A) Instructors in the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and English language acquisition shall: (i) receive three clock hours of training in principles of adult learning; (ii) receive six clock hours in relevant areas of literacy instruction; and (iii) receive the remaining six clock hours of training in content areas at the discretion of the program, but consisting of content related to the AEL program's purpose, which is to provide adults with sufficient basic education that enables them to effectively: (I) acquire the basic educational skills necessary for literate functioning; (II) participate in job training and retraining programs; (III) obtain and retain employment; and (IV) continue their education to at least the level of secondary school completion and postsecondary education preparation; or (iv) waive six clock hours of content area in staff professional development for individuals who have 18 or more college semester undergraduate or graduate credit hours in relevant areas of literacy instruction. (B) Staff, as described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, hired on or after January 1 of a program year, may require half of the professional development time required for that program year. For instructors in the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and English language acquisition, these hours must include three clock hours of training in principles of adult learning and three clock hours in the relevant areas of literacy instruction. (C) Staff described in this paragraph shall receive at least six clock hours of the required professional development outlined in subparagraph (A)(i) - (iii) of this paragraph within 30 calendar days of providing instructional activities, if new to AEL or to direct student service delivery. The six hours include the required three hours of principles of adult learning and three hours of the relevant areas of literacy instruction. Waiving of the requirements for staff new to direct student services must be approved by Agency AEL staff prior to the individual providing any instructional services.

(7) All staff providing support services or college and career transitional support who are paid through an AEL grant shall receive at least three clock hours of professional development each program year.

(8) AEL non-instructional support staff, such as, but not limited to, those assigned test proctoring or data entry duties, shall receive at least three clock hours of professional development related to their primary job duties each program year.

(9) The requirements for professional development may be reduced by grant recipients in individual cases in which exceptional circumstances prevent employees from completing the required hours of professional development. Exceptional circumstances can include absence from the program or work due to personal health reasons or emergency familial responsibilities, including maternity/paternity. Documentation justifying these circumstances shall be available for monitoring and as requested by AEL staff.

(10) Records of staff qualifications and professional development shall be maintained by each grant recipient and shall be available for monitoring.

Source Note: The provisions of this §805.21 adopted to be effective February 24, 2014, 39 TexReg 1205; amended to be effective July 20, 2016, 41 TexReg 5231; amended to be effective December 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 8150; amended to be effective November 24, 2022, 47 TexReg 7749