Section R7-2-604. Definitions

In  R7-2-604 through  R7-2-604.04,  unless  the   context  otherwise requires:

1.        “Accreditation” means a professional preparation institu- tion’s recognition by a national or regional agency or organization acknowledged for meeting identified stan- dards or criteria.

2.        “Biennial report” means a report submitted every two years to the Department by all Arizona State Board approved professional preparation institutions for each approved educator preparation program.

3.        “Biennial status letter” means correspondence issued by the Department to the professional preparation institution within 30 days upon completion of the review of the bien- nial report, indicating the status of the educator prepara- tion program(s).

4.        “Board approved program” means a course of study that is approved by the Board and meets all relevant standards for teachers, administrators, school guidance counselors, or school psychologists.

5.        “Capstone experience” means a culminating professional experience in a PreK-12 setting. This experience may include student teaching or internships in administration, counseling, or school psychology, or alternative path preK-12 teaching.

6.        “Educator preparation program” means a traditional or alternative educator preparation program. Either type of program shall include courses, seminars, or modules of study; field experiences; and capstone experiences for preparing PreK-12 teachers, administrators, school guid- ance counselors, and school psychologists for an institu- tional recommendation for an Arizona certificate.

7.        “Field experience” means scheduled, directed, structured, supervised, frequent experiences in a PreK-12 setting that occurs prior to the capstone experience. Field experiences must assist educator candidates in developing the knowl- edge, skills, and dispositions necessary to ensure all stu- dents learn, and provide evidence in meeting standards described in the Board approved professional teaching standards or professional administrative standards, and relevant Board approved academic standards.

8.        “Institutional recommendation” means a form developed by the Department and issued by a professional prepara- tion institution, that indicates an individual has completed a Board approved educator preparation program.

9.        “Internship” means significant opportunities for candi- dates to practice and develop the skills identified in rele- vant state and national standards as measured by substantial and sustained work in real settings, appropri- ate for the certificate the candidate is seeking, performed under the direction of a supervising practitioner and a program supervisor.

10.     “National standards” means written expectations for meeting a specified level of performance that are estab- lished by, but not limited to, the following organizations: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Program (CACREP), Council for the Accredi- tation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), Council for Exceptional Children. (CEC), Educational Leadership Constituent Counsel (ELCC), Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), Inter- state School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), National Educational Technology Standards (ISTE- NETS), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association of School Psy- chologists (NASP), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).

11.     “Probationary educator preparation program” means a program with at least one deficiency identified in the biennial status letter issued by the Department, as a result of a Department review of the biennial report. Programs with the same deficiency(s) in two consecutive biennial status letters are subject to revocation of Board approval. A deficiency may include, but is not limited to, stake- holder surveys, completer data and student achievement data.

12.   “Professional preparation institutions” means organiza- tions that include, but are not limited to, universities and colleges, school districts, not  for profit organizations, professional organizations, private businesses, charter schools, and regional training centers that oversee one or more educator preparation programs.

13.     “Program completer” means a student who has met all the professional program institution’s requirements of a Board approved educator preparation program necessary to obtain an institutional recommendation.

14.     “Program supervisor” means an educator from the profes- sional preparation institution under whose supervision the candidate for licensure practices during a capstone expe- rience. The program supervisor’s professional work experiences must be relevant to the license the candidate is seeking. Program supervisors must also have adequate training from the professional preparation institution.

15.  “Review Team” means a committee that reviews educator preparation programs seeking Board approval that con- sists of representatives from the Department and at least three of the following entities: institutions under the juris- diction of the Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona private institutions of higher education, Arizona community col- leges, other organizations with a Board approved educa- tor preparation program, professional educator associations, PreK-12 administrators from local educa- tion agencies, and National Board Certified Teachers.

16.     “Student teaching” means a minimum of twelve weeks of rigorous field-based experiences, appropriate for the cer- tificate the candidate is seeking, performed under the direction of a supervising practitioner and a program supervisor. The student teaching placement must be appropriate for the certification that the applicant is seek- ing.

17.     “Supervising practitioner” means a standard certified educator, currently employed by a local education agency, private agency or other PreK-12 setting who supervises the candidate during a capstone experience. Supervising practitioners must have:

a.         A minimum of three full years of experience rele- vant to the license the candidate is seeking.

b.        A current classification of highly effective or effec- tive pursuant to § 15-203(A)(38) when applicable.

c.         Adequate training from the professional preparation institution.

Historical Note

Repealed effective December 4, 1978 (Supp. 78-6).

Adopted as an emergency effective October 1, 1980, pur- suant to A.R.S. § 41-1003, valid for only 90 days (Supp. 80-5). Former emergency adoption amended as an emer- gency effective November 5, 1980, pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1003, valid for only 90 days. Former emergency adop- tion effective November 5, 1980 amended and adopted effective December 30, 1980 (Supp. 80-6). Amended

effective June 30, 1981 (Supp. 81-3). Amended subsec-

tion (G) effective November 16, 1982 (Supp. 82-6). Amended subsection (B) as an emergency effective August 2, 1984 pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1003, valid for only 90 days (Supp. 84-4). Emergency expired. Former emergency amendment effective August 2, 1984 now adopted as a permanent amendment without change effective November 5, 1984 (Supp. 84-6). Amended

effective August 9, 1989 (Supp. 89-3). Amended effec-

tive May 31, 1991 (Supp. 91-2). Amended effective July

10, 1992 (Supp. 92-3). Section repealed; new Section

adopted effective December 4, 1998 (Supp. 98-4). Sec-

tion repealed; new Section made by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 318, effective August 29, 2006 (Supp. 09-1). Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 21 A.A.R. 2047, effective October 27, 2014 (Supp. 15-3).