ASU Receives State Commendation for Teacher Education Program

SAN ANGELO, TX — Angelo State University's College of Education has received a commendation from the Texas Education Agency's State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) for graduating a high percentage of new teachers who go to work in rural Texas school districts.

Angelo State was one of only four institutions recognized in the "Preparing the Educators Texas Needs" category. Using 2022-23 employment data from the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) database and district-level geographic designations, the TEA identified the percentage of every institution's first-year teacher education graduates who were employed as teachers in rural school districts. The institutions with the five highest percentages were eligible to be recognized.

For 2022-23, 17% of ASU's first-year teacher education graduates were working in designated rural school districts.

"This commendation recognizes the College of Education's dedication to supporting the unique needs of our rural school partners," said Dr. Scarlet Clouse, dean of the college. "We continually strive for excellence in our responsibility of serving districts by preparing high-quality, classroom-ready teachers. Our graduates are those most deserving of accolades as they have a profound impact on Texas public-school education for generations. We are honored to receive this award and pledge to continue our mission of graduating innovative teachers equipped for the challenges of transforming lives and communities throughout Texas."