ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.

(a) Rules of the board proposed under this subchapter must provide that a person, other than a person seeking career and technology education certification, is not eligible for admission to an educator preparation program, including an alternative educator preparation program, unless the person:

(1) except as provided by Subsection (b), satisfies the following minimum grade point average requirements:

(A) an overall grade point average of at least 2.50 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on any course work previously attempted at a public or private institution of higher education; or

(B) a grade point average of at least 2.50 on a four-point scale or the equivalent for the last 60 semester credit hours attempted at a public or private institution of higher education; and

(2) if the person is seeking initial certification:

(A) has successfully completed at least:

(i) 15 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking certification, if the person is seeking certification to teach mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or

(ii) 12 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking certification, if the person is not seeking certification to teach mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or

(B) has achieved a satisfactory level of performance on a content certification examination, which may be a content certification examination administered by a vendor approved by the commissioner for purposes of administering such an examination for the year for which the person is applying for admission to the program.

(b) The board's rules must permit an educator preparation program to admit in extraordinary circumstances a person who fails to satisfy a grade point average requirement prescribed by Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B), provided that:

(1) not more than 10 percent of the total number of persons admitted to the program in a year fail to satisfy the requirement under Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B);

(2) each person admitted as described by this subsection performs, before admission, at a satisfactory level on an appropriate subject matter examination for each subject in which the person seeks certification; and

(3) for each person admitted as described by this subsection, the director of the program determines and certifies, based on documentation provided by the person, that the person's work, business, or career experience demonstrates achievement comparable to the academic achievement represented by the grade point average requirement.

(c) The overall grade point average of each incoming class admitted by an educator preparation program, including an alternative educator preparation program, may not be less than 3.00 on a four-point scale or the equivalent or a higher overall grade point average prescribed by the board. In computing the overall grade point average of an incoming class for purposes of this subsection, a program may:

(1) include the grade point average of each person in the incoming class based on all course work previously attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher education; or

(2) include the grade point average of each person in the incoming class based only on the last 60 semester credit hours attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher education.

(d) A person seeking career and technology education certification is not included in determining the overall grade point average of an incoming class under Subsection (c).