Human Resource Specialist
Certification Information
Teachers and professionals are required to keep their certifications valid. You must renew your Certificates before they expire. Click here to go to the TEAL website to renew your certificate. If you don't know when your certification expires click here to go to the SBEC site to view your certificate.
The following information is provided by the Texas Education Agency regarding certification requirements for teacher applicants.
BECOME A CLASSROOM TEACHER IN TEXAS
Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree - You must earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. (Health Science Technology and Trades & Industrial Education certifications are exempt from the Bachelor's degree requirement)
Complete an Educator Preparation Program - If you do not hold a degree you must complete a university program. If you hold a degree you may contact an Alternative Certification Program or Post Baccalaureate program.
Pass Certification Exams - You must pass the appropriate teacher certification exams. Contact your program for exam approval.
Submit a State Application – You must apply to be certified after all requirements are met. Do not apply until you have verified with your program that you are eligible.
Complete Fingerprinting – All first-time applicants must be fingerprinted as part of a national criminal background check.
University programs offer a route to educator certification while earning a degree at the same time. These programs also allow a person with a bachelor’s degree or higher to complete the requirements for an educator certificate with university coursework. In some cases, people with a bachelor’s degree can earn an advanced degree in addition to completing the requirements for a certificate.
Alternative Certification Program
Alternative certification programs (ACP’s) offer a nontraditional route to certification that may allow you to teach while completing the requirements. These programs are located in universities, school districts, education service centers, community colleges, and private entities.
List of Approved Educator Preparation Program.
Highly Qualified Education Aide
While the recent re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), now known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), removed the stipulation that all teachers meet highly qualified (HQ) requirements, these requirements were left in place for educational aides at Title I campuses in the enacted legislation.
We are now required to update the entry qualifications section on the job descriptions for all instructional aides at Title I campuses to read as follows:
Entry Qualifications:
Education equivalent to completion of 48 semester hours at an institution of higher education; or
Completion of an associate’s degree (or higher); or
Completion of a formal academic assessment. Three months of related experience is required."
Applicants who have met any of these requirements will need to turn in their transcript or a copy of their degree to HR to keep in their personnel file.
Applicants that do not meet the entry qualifications may register for the Paraprofessional Certification Training.
For additional information, contact the HR Employee Services Specialist at 512-772-7156.
For links to any additional information listed, please visit the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website at:
www.tea.state.tx.us under the tab, Educator Certification.
Becoming an Educational Aide in Texas.
You must first be employed by a school district before being eligible to apply for an Educational Aide certificate. Contact your employing school district for application instructions.
Educational Aide I requirements
Must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
Have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent
Experience may be work in church-related schools, day camps, youth groups, private schools, licensed day-care centers, or similar experience.
Educational Aide II requirements
Must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
Have satisfied one of the following requirements
Have two creditable years of experience as an Educational Aide I; or
Have a minimum of 15 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject areas; or
Have demonstrated proficiency in a specialized skill area as determined by the local school district; and
Have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent
Education Aide III requirements
Must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate; have satisfied one of the following requirements:
Have three creditable years of experience as either an Educational Aide I or II; or
Have 30 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject areas; and
Have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent
Highly Qualified Education Aide
While the recent re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), now known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), removed the stipulation that all teachers meet highly qualified (HQ) requirements, these requirements were left in place for educational aides at Title I campuses in the enacted legislation.
We are now required to update the entry qualifications section on the job descriptions for all instructional aides at Title I campuses to read as follows:
Entry Qualifications:
Education equivalent to completion of 48 semester hours at an institution of higher education; or
Completion of an associate’s degree (or higher); or
Completion of a formal academic assessment. Three months of related experience is required."
Applicants who have met any of these requirements will need to turn in their transcript or a copy of their degree to HR to keep in their personnel file.
Applicants that do not meet the entry qualifications may register for the Paraprofessional Certification Training.
For additional information, contact the HR Employee Services Specialist at 512-772-7156.
For links to any additional information listed, please visit the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website at:
www.tea.state.tx.us under the tab, Educator Certification.
