Delivering Well Prepared Teachers Policy
Texas requires either a generalist (grades 4-8) or a subject-specific (grades 4-8) endorsement for all middle school teachers. Candidates must earn either an academic discipline major or an interdisciplinary academic major.
All new middle school teachers must also pass a subject-matter test, the Texas Examination of Educator Standards. Although the state offers single-subject tests for grades 4-8, it also seems to allow candidates to pass a generalist exam as well as combination tests (e.g., English language arts and reading/social studies 4-8). Because Texas does not report subscores, there is no assurance that these middle school teachers will have sufficient knowledge in each subject they teach.
Strengthen middle school teachers' subject-matter preparation.
The state is commended for not allowing middle school teachers to teach on a K-8 generalist license. However, it should encourage middle school teachers who plan to teach multiple subjects to earn two minors in two core academic areas, rather than a single major. Texas should retain its requirement for a subject-area major for middle school candidates who intend to teach a single subject.
Require subject-matter testing for middle school teacher candidates.
Texas should require subject-matter testing for all middle school teacher candidates in every core academic area they intend to teach as a condition of initial licensure.
Texas recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that it is considering the elimination of the generalist 4-8 examinations. This requirement was part of the released RFP (Request for Proposal) for the testing contract.