Texas public schools have a student population of over 5 million of which more than 60% are classified aseconomically disadvantaged. Of the 8500+ campuses in the state, over 7,000 are designated by the U SDepartment of Education as having a high concentration of low-income families. We know from a deep body of research that teaching quality influences student success. Preparing and retaining a strong supply of highly effective teachers, then, is one of Texas’ most critical public workforce issues. The quality and effectiveness of public school teachers profoundly influences the academic, civic and social development of the state’s burgeoning student population, and it can be argued that cultivation of a competent and caring teacher workforce for Texas schools is a linchpin for economic prosperity and a high standard of living for all Texans.