Section 0520-02-04-.04 - APPROVAL OF EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS(1) Eligible organizations that wish to offer educator preparation programs in Tennessee must complete a two (2)-step approval process: (a) The entity must receive initial approval by the State Board to begin serving as an EPP; and(b) The EPP must undergo a comprehensive review to achieve full state approval to continue serving as an EPP within five (5) years of initial approval.(2) Eligible organizations seeking initial approval as an EPP in order to prepare and recommend candidates for licensure shall participate in the initial approval process by submitting a proposal to the Department that contains, at a minimum, the following information: (a) Evidence that the entity has the capacity to serve as an EPP and provide programs leading to licensure or endorsement;(b) Evidence for how the EPP will address all applicable educator preparation standards approved by the State Board, including:1. Content and pedagogical knowledge;2. Clinical partnerships and practice;3. Candidate quality, recruitment, and selectivity; and4. Provider quality assurance and continuous improvement.(c) Geographic area to be served and documentation of the engagement of at least one (1) primary LEA or CMO partner;(d) Plan for curriculum offerings including delivery method and timeframe, clinical placements, and clinical supervision plans;(e) A proposal for each SAP that, at a minimum, includes alignment to Tennessee academic standards, candidate assessment, relevant clinical experience(s), the professional education standards approved by the State Board, all applicable literacy standards, and applicable specialty area standards approved by the State Board;(f) Evidence that the faculty who teach courses or provide direct coaching to teacher or instructional leader candidates possess sufficient knowledge, skills, training, and expertise;(g) A description of admissions procedures, including the criteria which must be met in order for a candidate to be fully admitted to the licensure program;(h) Evidence of organizational and financial stability;(i) Applicable provider characteristics, such as governance, control (private or public), regional accreditation agency, and THEC authorization; and(j) If the provider is currently operating or has operated in Tennessee or any other state, data on program effectiveness, including but not limited to, completer effectiveness, quality of district partnerships, and performance on annual reports, if available.(3) Proposals submitted for EPP initial approval shall be reviewed by the Department. After review of the proposal for initial approval, the Department shall recommend to the State Board one (1) of the following:(a) Initial approval. If initial approval is awarded, providers may begin enrolling and subsequently recommending candidates for licensure in approved specialty areas; or(b) Denial of initial approval. If initial approval is denied, providers may not recommend candidates for licensure or identify programs as leading to licensure. Providers may submit a revised proposal for consideration during the next review period.(4) EPPs shall not publicize programs as leading to licensure prior to receiving initial approval.(5) All EPPs that receive initial approval shall submit annual report data to the Department.(6) Initial approval shall expire upon an EPP receiving full approval through the state-managed full-approval review or after five (5) years, whichever occurs first. If an EPP with initial approval has not received full approval within five (5) years, approval shall be revoked and the EPP may no longer enroll or recommend candidates for licensure.(7) An EPP may seek full approval after three (3) years in operation under initial approval by requesting a state-managed full-approval review.(8) Upon completion of the full-approval review, the Department shall recommend to the State Board one (1) of the following:(a) Full approval. The EPP meets one (1) of the following statuses and may recommend candidates for licensure:1. Exemplary status. The EPP exceeds expectations on a majority of the standards and meets expectations on all other standards.2. Full approval. The EPP meets expectations on all standards.3. Full approval, minor stipulations. The EPP meets expectations on all standards, but falls below expectations on one (1) or more components across multiple standards. The EPP shall submit to the Department a plan for addressing the areas in need of improvement within three (3) months of receiving full approval, minor stipulations. The Department shall annually review the EPP's progress on the submitted plan for improvement. If the EPP has adequately addressed the areas in need of improvement the Department may recommend to the State Board removal of the minor stipulations for the remainder of the approval period of the EPP. If within a three (3)-year period the Department determines the areas in need of improvement are not adequately addressed, the EPP may be required to participate in an interim review.(b) Probationary approval, major stipulations. The EPP meets expectations on three (3) or more standards but falls below expectation on one (1) or more standard(s). An EPP that is issued probationary approval may recommend candidates for licensure but shall submit to the Department an improvement plan for addressing the areas in need of improvement within three (3) months of receiving probationary approval status from the State Board. Each year, the EPP shall present evidence that the provider is implementing the improvement plan and making progress toward meeting expectations. The EPP shall also participate in a focused review within three (3) years of receiving probationary approval from the State Board. The EPP shall not submit SAP proposals for conditional approval until the Department determines all deficiencies have been adequately addressed. The EPP shall specifically report on the progress made in each area of deficiency on their annual report for the three (3) years following the issuance of probationary approval.(c) Denial of approval. The EPP falls below expectations on two (2) or more standards. EPPs that are denied approval shall no longer enroll new candidates for licensure and shall notify all current candidates of the denial of approval status of its program. Denied EPPs may continue to serve candidates who can complete the program by the end of the semester that falls twelve (12) months after the date of the denial of approval. The EPP shall assist candidates who are unable to complete the program within this period in transferring to another degree program at the institution or to another approved EPP. The EPP may not re-apply for initial approval for at least three (3) years from the date of denial.(9) The State Board has final authority on all provider and program decisions related to educator preparation.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-02-04-.04
Original rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed May 28, 1999; effective September 28, 1999. Repeal filed May 29, 2015; effective August 27, 2015. Emergency rules filed January 28, 2019; effective through July 27, 2019. Amendments filed January 28, 2019; effective April 28, 2019. Amendments filed October 25, 2023; effective 1/23/2024.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-5-101, and 49-5-108.