To Whom It May Concern:

I am asking for your consideration and support of a matter that is negatively affecting many educational leadership graduate students across Texas. The changes to the principal certification test and lack of transparency for the new testing expectations have left students scrambling to fill in the gaps from their course work. This letter will list the problems that current universities and students are facing while offering a common sense solution.

Problem

- Universities are requiring students to prepare and take the new TExES Principal (268) certification test even if their course plan was not structured to reflect this exam. TEA did not recommend preparation for the new 268 exam until 1/1/2018 and many students that began their course plan before this date and were preparing for the previous TExES Principal (068) are being affected.

- Students that are preparing for graduation and certification for Spring 2019 must now wait until July 29th to test. This hinders a student’s opportunity to apply for an administrative position and/or compete against individuals that are already certified.

- The study material and practice tests were just released in 2019. This is not enough time for universities to adjust their course plans and create study sessions for the new 268 exam.

Solution

- Allow students that started their coursework prior to 1/1/2018 to take the TExES Principal (068) exam. This would be more appropriate, since students were initially preparing to take this exam.

When the new STAAR tests were first administered, secondary students were allowed to continue to take the TAKS test because it measured the standards they were expected to learn. The phase-in period for STAAR allowed educators to adjust their curriculum and course work to meet the state’s new expectations. This consideration should be provided to graduate students and universities that are currently being required to adjust to the new principal standards and exams. If TEA follows their precedent when implementing a new exam, then there should be a phase-in period to allow for changes to occur without negatively affecting those currently enrolled or near finishing their principal certification programs. I appreciate your time and consideration of bringing this matter back to the State Board of Education for review.

Sincerely,

Rene Esquivel

Graduate Student

UTSA Cohort Fall ‘17