Texas State Board of Examiners:

An Inventory of Minute Books at the Texas State Archives, 1893-1912, 1915-1931

Agency History

The Texas State Board of Examiners was created in 1893 (23rd Legislature, Substitute House Bill Nos. 30, 115, et. al.) to direct the examinations for teacher certification. The board was composed of three members, who were competent teachers living in the state, appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (starting in 1949, appointments were made by the State Commissioner of Education.) The board's duties were to certify all eligible teachers in Texas either by examination or upon the college records of the applicants, inspect all colleges in Texas for the purpose of determining their ability to train teachers, prepare and grade examinations of applicants for certificates, collect fees and data, and maintain an accurate set of records.

In 1905, the 29th Legislature (Senate Bill 218) enacted new enabling legislation but kept the makeup and duties of the board the same. In 1953, the 53rd Legislature (House Bill 145) changed the name to the State Board of Examiners for Teacher Education. The State Board of Education, in January 1964, acting within the legal framework established by the Legislature, authorized the Commissioner of Education to reconstitute the board to be composed of a maximum of 14 members (four from colleges and universities, four public school administrators, three teachers from elementary and three from secondary schools), with the Commissioner serving ex officio as chairman. The State Board of Examiners for Teacher Education now served as an advisory group to the State Board of Education on programs of teacher certification and teacher preparation and established standards for approving colleges which offer programs in teacher education. The State Board of Education, in June 1972, once again expanded the board, and it now included up to 27 members. The 66th Legislature, Regular Session, Senate Bill 903, created the Commission on Standards for the Teaching Profession in 1979, replacing the Board of Examiners for Teacher Education with the new Commission. The Commission on Standards for the Teaching Profession was, in turn, abolished by the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, House Bill 2585, in 1993. Responsibility for teacher certification was taken over by the Curriculum and Assessment Office of the Texas Education Agency.

Scope and Contents of the Records

Records consist of two volumes containing minutes from the Texas State Board of Examiners. The minutes date from the first meeting of the board in 1893 to 1912, and from 1915 to 1931. The minutes record the actions of the board in certifying individual teachers for teaching certificates and approving or rejecting colleges and universities as having satisfactory courses of study for educating teachers.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

None.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Minute books, Texas State Board of Examiners. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1994/038 and unknown

The first minute book, 1893-1912, was received by the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission from an unknown source at an unknown date. The second minute book, 1915-1931, was transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Libary and Archives Commission by the Texas Education Agency on November 18, 1993.

Processing Information

Paul Beck, May 1994

Detailed Description of the Records