OAR 584-400-0020: Definitions

(1) Area for Improvement (AFI ): A statement cited by the Commission that identifies a weakness in the evidence for a standard. A single AFI is usually not of sufficient severity that it leads to an unmet standard. AFIs should be remediated by the end of the state’s term of approval. (2) At-Risk Unit : A determination that the Commission finds a Unit to be “at risk” of becoming “low-performing.” The Commission may designate a Unit to be “at-risk” if it finds multiple AFIs. Such Unit is required to respond to Commission-imposed conditions and must provide evidence within the time indicated by the Commission that the Commission’s concerns have been addressed. Units receiving an “at-risk” designation will be subject to a follow-up review site visit that focuses on the AFIs noted by the Commission. Additionally, if the Commission finds a Unit has not corrected multiple AFIs within the time indicated, it may designate a Unit to be “at-risk.” (3) Candidate : Candidates are individuals admitted to and enrolled in Commission-recognized programs, including, but not limited to, people preparing to teach, teachers continuing their professional development, and people preparing for other professional roles in PreK-12 schools, such as administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers. (4) Clinical Practices : All supervised field experiences, internships, residencies, apprenticeships, student teaching, or practicum opportunities necessary to complete a preparation program that provide candidates with an intensive and extensive field-based set of responsibilities, assignments, tasks, activities, and assessments that demonstrate candidates’ progressive development of the professional knowledge, skills, competencies, and dispositions to be effective educators. This definition does not apply to supervised practica, as provided in OAR Chapter 584, Division 220. (5) Commission : Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). (6) Competency Assessment: A student-centered, learning-outcome-based model where the assessment of a student’s capabilities is measured against the standards of the profession and allows students to progress in their learning after they have demonstrated mastery. (7) Conceptual Framework : An underlying structure in a professional education unit that gives conceptual meaning to the Unit’s operations through an articulated rationale and provides direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, faculty scholarship and service, and Unit accountability. (8) Cooperating Teacher: An appropriately licensed teacher of record in a public, private, or charter school who is assigned to provide guidance and supervision to teacher candidates in the cooperating teachers’ classroom during the candidates’ clinical practice experience. (9) Credential: An official document issued by a state agency attesting that an individual meets state requirements to: (a) Teach at a specific level or for a specialized discipline or population of students (e.g., middle grades, biology, English Language Learners, etc.); or (b) Serve in a specific education role in a school (e.g., principal, reading specialist, etc.). (10) Director of Program Approval : The Commission staff member responsible for coordinating program approval within the agency. (11) Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs) : Also known as “Unit.” The entity responsible for the preparation of educators, including a non-profit or for-profit institution of higher education, a school district, an organization, a corporation, or a governmental agency. (12) Endorsement Offerings : Endorsements that may be provided by an EPP may be either Program-required or Non-Program-required. (a) Program-required areas : Endorsements that require the completion of a state-recognized endorsement program for preservice and in-service teachers, including: (A) Elementary – Multiple Subjects; (B) Reading Intervention; (C) Special Education; (D) Art; (E) Music; (F) PE; (G) Library Media; (H) ESOL; (I) Drama; (J) World Language: Japanese; and (K) World Language: Russian. (b) Non-program-required areas: An endorsement that is a single-subject content area. For preservice candidates, these endorsements are included within a Preliminary Teaching License program. For in-service teachers, these endorsements may be added to an existing license without completion of a program, as provided in Division 220. Single-subjects endorsements include: (A) Advanced Mathematics; (B) Agricultural Science; (C) Biology; (D) Business: Generalist; (E) Business: Marketing; (F) Career Trades: Generalist; (G) Chemistry; (H) English Language Arts; (I) Family and Consumer Science; (J) Foundational English Language Arts; (K) Foundational Mathematics; (L) Foundational Science; (M) Foundational Social Studies; (N) Health; (O) Integrated Science; (P) Physics; (Q) Social Studies; (R) Speech (Forensics); (S) World Language: Chinese; (T) World Language: French; (U) World Language: German; (V) World Language: Latin; and (W) World Language: Spanish. (13) Executive Director : The Executive Director of the Commission. (14) In-service candidate : A candidate who has completed an initial teacher preparation program and has been issued a non-provisional teaching license in Oregon or another NASDTEC jurisdiction. EXAMPLE: An in-service candidate includes a licensed teacher completing a program to add an endorsement to an existing license. EXAMPLE: An in-service candidate includes a licensed administrator completing a professional administrator program. EXAMPLE: An in-service candidate includes a licensed teacher completing a preliminary administrator or personnel program. (15) Intern: A student who serves as a teacher, personnel specialist, or administrator under the supervision of the institution and school district in order to acquire practical experience to fulfill the program’s required clinical practice. Interns may receive both academic credit from the institution and financial compensation from the school district. Interns may serve as assistant coaches. Generally, the differences between internships and apprenticeships fall into the following areas: length of time, structure, mentorship, pay, credentials, and college credit. (16) Low-Performing Unit : A Unit is determined to be “low performing” by the Commission if, following a Unit site visit, the imposition of conditions and a subsequent follow-up on-site visit, the institution failed to meet the Commission’s standards of quality and effectiveness. Units found to be “low-performing” are denied TSPC approval to offer educator preparation programs. A Unit denied approval is prohibited from offering educator preparation programs in Oregon and denied from recommending educators for licensure for a minimum of two years. At the end of such time, the Unit may apply for program approval and is required to submit a formal application and demonstrate that the problems identified in the original Unit review have been addressed and that the Unit meets all current requirements for Unit approval and educator licensure in effect at the time of application for approval. (17) Multiple Measures: The use of multiple indicators and sources of evidence of student learning and achievements as described in the Commission-approved multiple measures guidance documents. (18) Preservice candidate : An initial candidate enrolled in an initial teaching preparation program or a candidate who has completed an initial teaching preparation program but has not been issued a non-provisional teaching license in Oregon or another NADSTEC jurisdiction. (19) Program : A program includes, but is not limited to, an academic program that results in eligibility for a license, endorsement, or specialization. (20) Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP): A proven model of apprenticeship that has been validated by the Department of Labor or State Apprenticeship Agency. (21) Self-Study Report (SSR) : The process and document that an Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) creates and undergoes to evaluate its practices against Unit standards. (22) Site Visit Review Team : The team appointed by national accrediting body and/or the Commission to conduct a site visit review for purposes of approval of Units. (23) Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) : The national organizations that represent teachers, professional education faculty, and other school professionals who teach a specific subject matter (e.g., mathematics or social studies), teach students at a specific developmental level (i.e., early childhood, elementary, middle level, or secondary), teach students with specific needs (e.g., bilingual education or special education), administer schools (e.g., principals or superintendents), or provide services to students (e.g., school counselors or school psychologists). (24) State-Recognized Educator Preparation Program : A licensure, endorsement or specialization program that is offered by an approved EPP and meets the standards of the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. (a) Oregon program : State-recognized Oregon educator preparation program recognized by the Commission through: (A) The previous state recognition (program review) process, including Commission-approved SPA reviews; (B) Any subsequent Commission-approved major modifications to the program; and (C) Any subsequent Commission-approved minor modifications to the program, as adopted in the annual report process. (b) Out-of-state or international program : A state-recognized educator preparation program approved by the licensure body of the governmental jurisdiction authorized to approve the equivalent of Oregon’s licensure, endorsement, or specialization programs. (25) Teacher Residency: An alternative pathway to teaching for a teacher candidate who has a bachelor’s degree or the Commission-approved equivalent. (26) Unit : Also known as “EPP.” The entity responsible for the preparation of educators, including a non-profit or for-profit institution of higher education, a school district, an organization, a corporation, or a governmental agency.