School Library

1
School Library Certification Issues
Dr. Janet Hilbun Dr. Kaye Bray School of Library
Information Studies Texas Woman's University
2
Table of Contents

• Certification Requirements
• Online Qualifying Test
• Workshops
• Practicum

3
Certification Requirements

• Successfully complete a school librarian
  preparation program
• Successfully complete the assessments
  required (TExES)
• Hold a master's degree from an accredited
  institution of higher education
• Have two school years of classroom teaching
  experience from a public or accredited private
  school

1
2
3
4
4
How do I get it?

• Texas Administrative Code
• Title 19 Education
• Part 7 State Board for Educator Certification
• Chapter 239 Student Services Certificates
• Subchapter B School Librarian Certificate
• http//info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtacext.Vi
  ewTAC?tac_view5ti19pt7ch239schBrlY

5
Admission to school librarian preparation program
1

• Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited
  institution of higher learning
• Meet the requirements for admission to an
  educator preparation program
• For example TWU SLIS
• Completion of required courses
• http//www.twu.edu/cope/slis/forms/slc_informatio
  n.pdf

6
Assessment
2

• Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES)
• http//texes.ets.org/texes/testdates
• Multiple dates offered each year

7
Change in Certification Testing Vendor

• The TEA has selected ETS (formerly known as
  Education Testing Service) to replace National
  Evaluation Systems (NES) as the contractor
  responsible for State Board for Educator
  Certification (SBEC) tests on Sept. 1, 2006.
• The change in vendors means there will be changes
  in the assessment exams required for educator
  certification.
• For certification tests being given starting next
  school year (2006-07), there will be a
  combination of new assessment test versions and
  old test versions.

8
Masters degree
3

• Degree must be from an accredited institution of
  higher education
• Academic program the degree is from is not
  specified

9
Teaching Experience
4

• Must have at least two years of classroom
  teaching experience
• This experience can be from a public or
  accredited private school

10
Certificate Options

• Coursework for the certificate can be completed
  as part of the Masters of Library Science (MLS)
• For students already holding a masters degree,
  coursework can be completed by taking classes
  required by the preparation program. (TWU
  requires 24 hours)

11
Other paths to certification

• 1. Emergency Certification State Requirements
• Texas Teaching certificate
• Minimum 2 years classroom (public or private
  accredited) teaching experience
• Minimum 6 hours of applicable coursework
• Complete coursework within 3 years
• State mandates minimum 6 hours coursework to be
  completed each year (school district may require
  more)
• School district grants annual renewal based on
  student progress

12

• 2. Probationary Certification Requirements
• TWUs Requirements
• Admitted to SLIS
• Be currently enrolled in 5813 Information
  Professions with degree plan on file
• Minimum two years classroom (public or private
  accredited) teaching experience
• Renewed on a yearly basis complete coursework
  within 3 years
• Requirements set by individual university program
• Up to university to determine if progress is
  adequate for annual renewal

13
Online Qualifying Test

• TExES Qualifying Test for school librarians is
  available in both face-to-face and online
  formats. Starting Fall, 2006, this test must be
  passed with a 75 in order to receive barcode to
  take the TExES examination. The cost is 25.00.
  Registration information is at
• http//www.twu.edu/o-ll/texes.html

14
Course Hours Required

• In order to receive the barcode to take the TExES
  examination, 24 hours of coursework must have
  been completed by MLS degree-seeking students.
  For certification-only students, 18 hours of
  coursework must have been completed.
• After completing the required hours and passing
  the Qualifying Test with a minimum score of 75,
  contact Linda Kobler, certification officer, to
  receive the barcode.
• lkobler_at_twu.edu

15
Preparation Workshop

• We are in the process of preparing an online
  preparation workshop for the TExES examination.
  We may also host a face-to-face workshop in
  November (one in the fall and one in the spring).
  Look for more information on this.

16
Practicum

• Apply for your practicum the semester before.
• Practicum Coordinator MaryAnn Kitchens
  mkitchens_at_twu.edu
• 60 hours at primary level and 60 hours at
  secondary level
• To qualify for a practicum waiver, you must have
  been employed as a school librarian of record for
  one school year.
• If waived, the practicum must be replaced with
  another course.
• Contact your advisor about a possible practicum
  waiver.

17
The end

• Thank you!
• Dr. Kaye Evitt Bray
• kbray1_at_mail.twu.edu
• http//www.brayweb.com
• Dr. Janet Hilbun
• jhilbun_at_mail.twu.edu