The Texas Education Agency has exercised poor oversight of alternative certification training programs for teachers, according to a state auditor's report scheduled for release today.

These alternative education programs are important because they provide training for about half of all new teachers entering the classroom each year.

The audit examined eight of 87 programs in the state, including those operated by Dallas ISD, TEA's Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson and the Denton-based company iteachTexas. The State Board for Educator Certification, which is part of the TEA, oversees the programs.

In five programs, auditors found that teachers had not completed all of their required coursework or classroom training. Still, they were labeled as having completed the program.

"As a result, there is an increased risk that unqualified teachers may be issued a certificate and allowed to teach in Texas schools," the audit said.

The report also said the State Board for Educator Certification has not created consistent standards for the alternative certification programs. The programs create their own standards.

Alternative certification programs sprang up in the 1980s in Texas as a way for career-changers to enter the profession quickly without earning a college degree in education. Programs are run by private companies, school districts, universities, community colleges and the TEA's regional offices.

Board officials are already moving forward to address some of the issues, said Karen Loonam, the board's deputy associate commissioner of educator certification and standards.

"We take this very seriously," she said. "It just shows we have more work to do."

The board is scheduled to take up the issue July 25. The meeting could produce new rules establishing minimum admissions and training requirements for "alt-cert" teachers.

One rule would require candidates to have at least a 2.5 grade-point average in college to get into an alt-cert program. Another would require program operators to provide candidates at least 80 hours of training and 30 hours of classroom observation before they start teaching.

Dr. Loonam said the board will also take up accountability standards for programs. For example, she said the board would like the Legislature to pass a law allowing the board to punish problem programs.

State Auditor John Keel said some alternative certification programs may have been diligent about teacher candidates completing training but they kept such bad records that auditors couldn't discover the truth.

Auditors found Dallas ISD's program did not make sure teachers in training had completed the program before labeling them "completers." Trainees also were not consistently screened for math proficiency. In the Region 10 program, auditors found documents were not available and had been discarded and the program could not show its teachers had completed requirements.

Auditors found mostly proper documentation with iteachTexas, an online, privately run program. Director Diann Huber said the audit was probably "just the tip of the iceberg."

"There are really great programs in the state, and there are some programs that need to be reviewed."

At a glance: Texas audit on alternative certification for educators

KEY FINDINGS:

•The Texas Education Agency did not adequately monitor alternative programs.

•TEA did not ensure that data reported by programs was accurate. The auditor found instances in five of eight programs where teachers labeled "completers" had not completed their training.

•TEA is not making sure that alternative certification program accreditation ratings are accurate.

•TEA is not complying with the Texas Administrative Code, which requires reviews of programs every five years.

•Computer security problems threaten to expose confidential data of teachers. Terminated employees continue to have computer access, and there was a lack of password control.

•Programs vary greatly in design and curriculum. No uniform standards exist for admission, classroom training, internships and mentoring.

For more information, view the full report on the state auditor's office Web site, www.sao.state.tx.us.