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Newly Funded TEA Projects

The Adult Education Credential and New Teacher Projects are funded through grants from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The Credential Project will consider the nature of the adult education workforce and propose a credentialing process that has the support of the field. In order to serve the needs of future adult students, practitioners will require systematic, standardized, and meaningful professional development from the time they begin their teaching careers. Through this newly funded grant, we will develop an adult education credentialing system based on an accepted foundation of theory and practice and delivered in a flexible manner.

The New Teacher Project will serve as professional development for teachers new to adult education. The New Teacher Project will coordinate the development of a standardized, consistent, and accountable pre-service training for teachers new to adult education. An "orientation" institute will be developed and demonstrated in regional sites throughout Texas. A New Teachers Tool Kit will accompany the training.

Currently we are researching professional development and credential systems in other states. We will be forming focus groups here in Texas to hear about what should be included in the New Teacher Tool Kit and to hear recommendations for a credentialing system. Once the investigative stage of the grant is completed, we will offer an initial credentialing model and pilot tool kit for all to review. Keep your eyes and ears open for these models next year.

We have posted an Adult Education Professional Development survey on our Web site. Please answer the survey and contribute to the growth of professional development in Texas. Find our survey at: http://www.tei.education.txstate.edu/.

If you have questions, contact: Audrey Abed, Credential Project aa09@swt.edu or Mary Helen Martinez, New Teachers Project mm42@swt.edu.