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Because you have held a permit, intern, or probationary certificate for 3 years, it is most likely your only option is to complete a clinical internship. The first step is to contact your original program and ask them questions. If they are unable to help, you can call us or contact us.
Your position is a tough one. Because you spent three years on transitory – or temporary – certificates, the state has very clear rules about what you can and cannot do to earn your Standard Certification.
Contact Your Original Program
To be on a temporary certificate, you had to be enrolled in an Educator Preparation Program previously. Your best course of action is to contact your original program and ask how you can complete their program. If you are unable to get help, you can call us or contact us.
Enroll in an ACP
When you apply to the certification program you will fill out an application and provide the program your college transcripts. The program will make sure you have a GPA of 2.5 or higher (either overall or in the last 60 hours of coursework) and identify an “Area of Certification” – a certification area where you have 12+ college hours of coursework.
If they cannot identify an “Area of Certification” you will most likely have to take the PACT exam.
Source: TAC 227.10
Complete the 150 Hours of Coursework
This might sound scary- but it will make your life A LOT easier once you are hired. Before you can be hired, you have to complete 30 hours of classroom observation and interaction and 150 hours of coursework.
While that might seem like it, it will go by quickly because you will be learning the most fundamental aspects of teaching. This is the first step real step in becoming a successful, impactful teacher.
Once you complete that 150 hours of coursework, you can be hired.
Pass the Content Tests
Each Content Test is specific to a content area; a content area is a specific subject and grade level you are eligible to teach.
So you need to make sure that whatever you want to teach, you take the appropriate Content Tests.
Your certification program should walk you through each step of the process- so rely on your certification program for guidance.
If you have already taken a PACT exam and are unsure why you need to take a TExES exam, read our guide: PACT v. TExES: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
Source: TAC 230.36.d.1
Get Hired
This is the hardest part of the journey- finding a job.
Once you apply and complete the 150 hours, you can be hired by a school to be a 100% salaried teacher. You can start teaching!
Already Hired?
If you are already hired- CONGRATULATIONS!
Also, most of this doesn’t 100% apply to you. There is a special provision in TAC 228.35.B.d that allows for someone hired within 45 days of the first day of school to complete the 150 coursework hours during their first year.
So if you are hired, there are some special circumstances and you should contact an ACP for more specific details.
>What the Texas Administrative Code says about your situation.
Curious about where we get our information? It is straight from the Texas Administrative Code.
The Texas Administrative Code, or TAC, is the set of rules and regulations for all the education systems in Texas. The rules and requirements to being admitted into an alternative certification program are found:
Source: TAC 227
It is very complicated, so we have tried to make it easier for you.
And there are rules and regulations for Educator Preparation Programs (or EPPs). These rules and regulations can be found in section 228: TAC 228
Source: TAC 228
Once you finish your degree- you’ll be ready to start the journey! Contact us if you need more information.
The next step for you is to graduate from college with a GPA higher than 2.5 (either overall OR the last 60 hours).
Once you graduate from college, you can enroll in an Alternative Certification Program in Texas and get the process started.
Are you in the last semester of your degree? You might be able to enroll today. Give us a call or contact us.
What the Texas Administrative Code says about your situation.
Curious about where we get our information? It is straight from the Texas Administrative Code
The Texas Administrative Code, or TAC, is the set of rules and regulations for all the education systems in Texas. The rules and requirements to being admitted into an alternative certification program are found: TAC 227
This is a tough spot. The Texas Administrative Code requires that a candidate for an Alternative Certification Program has a GPA of 2.5 or higher – either overall OR within the past 60 hours of coursework (TAC 227.10.a.3).
If you have questions about how to calculate your GPA or the best next steps to increase your GPA- give us a call or contact us.
Also, you are in a complicated spot. you need to contact our program immediately.
You can either call us or contact us.
Let us help you pass your TExES! Contact us if you need help navigating what to do next
Your position is the most common journey for an alternatively certified teacher.
When you apply to the certification program you will fill out an application and provide the program with your college transcripts. The program will make sure you have a GPA of 2.5 or higher (either overall or in the last 60 hours of coursework) and identify an “Area of Certification” – a certification area where you have 12+ college hours of coursework.
Pass the Content Test
Each content test is specific to a content area; a content area is a specific subject and grade level you are eligible to teach.
So you need to make sure that whatever you want to teach, you take the appropriate content test.
You are in a good position! There is almost always a need for secondary (7th grade thru 12th grade) math and science teachers.
Just to be clear:
In order to be accepted into a certification program, you would first need to pass the PACT Mathematics: Grades 7-12 or PACT Science Grades: 7-12 exam.
To be accepted into a certification program for a secondary (or grades 7th through 12th) math or science certification area, the Texas Administrative Code requires a teacher to either have 15 hours of college coursework in Math or Science or pass the appropriate TX PACT exam.
Source: TAC 227.10.a.4.B
Once you are enrolled in a program, you can start doing all the prerequisite work to get hired
So you want to teach Math or Science for grades 7 up thru 12? That is fantastic! There are a lot of school districts looking for Math and Science teachers.
But you don’t have 15 hours of college coursework in either Math or Science…
Pass the PrePACT
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Schools are still hiring – start teaching this year!
