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Congrats! Once enrolled, you’re well on your way to becoming a teacher! As you work toward fulfilling your dream, it’s not uncommon for a few questions to arise. Read our Enrolled Candidates FAQ to find the answers you’re looking for! We value transparency, so if you have another question not answered on this page, feel free to submit a new question using the form at the bottom of the page.
No. You may complete your Classroom Readiness Training, Field-Based Experience hours, and testing in any order. We offer several optional test preparation courses and required test prep modules to help prepare you for many different state exams.
The TEA requires that all teachers in the state of Texas must demonstrate subject matter knowledge by passing a certification exam, also called a subject area test. Once you begin teaching on your Intern Certificate, you must pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) exam before being considered for the Standard Certificate at the end of your Internship Year.
The TExES exams are currently administered by Pearson. We provide full test registration instructions on our State Tests resources page.
The certification exams may be passed either before or after securing employment. The PPR exam must be passed after you begin working as a full-time teacher during your Internship Year.
Teachers of Tomorrow offers required test prep modules in your intern portal to assist you in preparing for your test. Plus, The Learning Liaisons offers live Workshops and on-demand video courses for the TExES and PPR exams. These interactive video courses give prospective teachers expert preparation. All skills tested are covered in-depth with content review, practice question analysis, and the strategies required for 1st attempt success. Please use promo code TTTX25 for an exclusive candidate discount!
Many candidates are hired after passing a single exam, but this will depend on the districts you apply with and the certification area. If you have passed multiple exams, especially in a high-need area, you will improve your marketability, making you a more attractive hire for schools. It has become increasingly more common for school districts to request or require that candidates have an ESL endorsement. Learn more.
Once your passed exam is shown online through TEA, your Enrollment Letter and SOE will be updated within 3-5 business days by Texas Teachers. See the Job Search FAQ section for more information regarding the Enrollment Letter and SOE.
Your Pre-Service Training is composed of your online courses known as your Classroom Readiness Training and your 30 hours of Field-Based Experience (FBE), also known as Classroom Observation hours.
The curriculum is organized around six main constructs for learning: The Teacher, The Learner, Lesson Planning, Instructional Strategies, Assessing Learning, and The Learning Environment. Multiple courses within each construct help the prospective teacher understand the pedagogy behind their role as an educator in the classroom. Please visit our Training page for samples of the coursework you will engage within each construct.
The Classroom Readiness Training and Test Preparation modules are always available online. You are also required to complete 30 hours of Field-Based Experiences hours before entering the classroom. Currently, 15 hours of your required 30 hours may be completed online!
No, the testing, training, and Field-Based Experiences can be completed in any order. The required test preparation courses can help prepare you for the exams.
Classroom observations, also known as Field-Based Experiences (FBE hours) are introductory experiences for a certification candidate. This involves reflective observation of EC-12 students, teachers, and faculty/staff members engaging in educational activities in a school setting.
30 FBE hours are required; a maximum of 15 hours may be completed online through your Canvas account. The remaining 15 hours must be completed in-person, on a TEA-accredited campus.
The newly adopted provisions of the 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs are effective September 1, 2024. To ensure our compliance with these new requirements and the expectations related to Field-Based Experiences (FBEs), any candidate who has not obtained an intern certificate by 9/1/24 must complete 50 total FBE hours. Contact your Program Advisor for more information.
Any experience that occurs on a TEA-accredited campus where you are observing a certified teacher deliver instruction to at least one student can count toward your FBE hours.
Unfortunately, substitute teaching does not fall under this requirement from the TEA, as you must be observing a certified teacher rather than delivering the content yourself. However, substitute teaching is still highly recommended to increase your marketability and may help you get hired with a particular school district.
Per TEA guidelines, Texas Teachers can only provide credit for FBE hours that were completed (on a TEA-accredited campus) after the candidate has been admitted into our program.
While most schools usually provide plenty of classroom observation opportunities for aspiring teachers, some in-person options may be limited due to current circumstances. We recommend you first check the district website and search online for observation approval information. If you do not find more information online, call the district Human Resources department. Make sure you have first searched the district website and contacted the HR department before you call a campus directly.
You can submit your completed hours to the Intern Portal. When you click on the “Pre-Service” tab, you will find the FBE Submission From. Once your hours have been verified, they will appear in your Intern Portal.
We’ll help you take care of this step! Your FBE hours must be verified by the person you observed, the principal of the campus, or the HR department of the school district. The FBE hours will not show as completed in your Intern Portal until they have been verified by email from the supervising individual. After submitting your FBE hours, our system will generate an automated email to the supervising individual. Please ask them to check their spam folder.
Our typical grading time period is 3-5 business days, however, there are occasional times when it could take longer.
Yes, you have multiple attempts to pass your projects. Our instructors will provide you with guided feedback to ensure you succeed.
We’re always happy to provide you with more feedback! For any questions or clarification regarding grades or project feedback, please email us at CurriculumSupport@TexasTeachers.org.
Our online instructors are available to answer any questions you may have regarding the training content and curriculum. You can reach them from any page by clicking on the question mark icon. If you can’t find one on the current page, you can always find the help icon on the left slide of your main dashboard. Also, feel free to email us with a specific question at CurriculumSupport@TexasTeachers.org.
For technical issues with Canvas, please take a screenshot of the page on which you are experiencing an issue. Then, you should contact the Canvas support team by clicking on the question mark icon (available on most pages). If you cannot locate the question mark icon, there is always a help button on the left-side menu on your main dashboard. You can also email us at CanvasSupport@TexasTeachers.org.
If you are unsure about what is required of you or have a specific question regarding your personalized training path, please reach out to an Advisor at Teach@TexasTeachers.org.
Absolutely! You ultimately choose which districts to apply with, but Texas Teachers has a team of representatives that work closely with schools across the state. We provide thousands of candidate lists to schools every year and host both in-person and virtual job fairs. We notify candidates regarding teacher hiring events and list the schools that have recently requested our candidates. We also provide a wealth of resources to help you prepare to get your first teaching job, from online webinars and seminars to resume review services and portfolio guidance.
Currently, the only item required to get hired is your Statement of Eligibility. If you have passed your content exam, your Enrollment Letter will also help!
Your Statement of Eligibility (SOE) is a document which states that you are currently enrolled in Texas Teachers and are eligible for hire. You can find this document in your Intern Portal under the “Menu” and the sub-section called the “Enrollment Letter / SOE” tab. When you are offered employment, you will take your blank SOE to your hiring school district. After your principal or HR department fills out your SOE, they will return it to us and we will complete it and recommend you for your Intern Certificate. Please make sure you complete your “I Got a Job Form” in the intern portal and pay for your intern certification and fingers prints with TEA once you accept a teaching position.
You can access your SOE once you have completed your pre services requirements that include your content test, required training modules, and field-based experiences (FBEs). The SOE can be downloaded in the intern portal under the “Menu” and the sub-section called the “Enrollment Letter / SOE” tab.
Your Enrollment Letter is available after you demonstrate subject matter knowledge by passing a content exam. Your SOE will attach as a second page to your Enrollment Letter. You can find this document under the “Menu” and the sub-section called the “Enrollment Letter / SOE” tab.
We recommend starting your job search as soon as you have received your Statement of Eligibility!
To qualify for an Intern Certificate, you must be hired by a TEA-accredited campus as a full-time teacher of record for the subject(s)/grades in which you have demonstrated subject matter knowledge (or have been approved for an exam).
You should call the school Human Resources department, as each district application is unique. We recommend you attach both the Enrollment Letter and SOE when submitting a school application. If you apply with only the Enrollment Letter, submit a new application or amend your previous application once your SOE is available, and then call the school HR department to notify them of the change.
Congratulations! After you receive a job, it is extremely important to submit the “I Got a Job” form in your Intern Portal under the “Menu” tab and under the subtab “Employment”. We will then work with the school district to process your SOE and recommend you for your Intern Certificate.
REQUIRED: Steps to complete with TEA after you submit the I Got A Job Form.
All 3 steps must be required before Texas Teachers can recommend your Intern Certification.
You will need to apply for an Intern Certificate for your first-year teaching.
We recommend you pay for your TEA Intern Certificate application when you begin your job search. Some districts will check to see if you have completed this step when reviewing your application. Here are instructions on how to apply for your Intern Certificate.
You must submit the “I Got a Job” form located in your Inter Portal as soon as you accept an offer to teach. Your school must also provide Texas Teachers with a completed Statement of Eligibility (SOE).
Once you have been hired as a full-time teacher of record and have submitted the “I Got a Job” form in your Intern Portal, we will recommend you to TEA to receive your Intern Certificate. Most candidates are recommended for their Intern Certificates during the peak volume months of July and August. If you are waiting to be recommended during these months, the wait time may be slightly longer. Schools understand that Texas Teachers can backdate certificates if you are recommended shortly after the academic year begins. We encourage you to monitor your email for recommendation instructions from our Certification department, and promptly complete requirements. You will receive a confirmation email once you have been recommended for your Intern Certificate.
TEA will issue your Intern Certificate once you have been recommended by Texas Teachers.
An Intern Certificate is valid for your first year of teaching and used for candidates enrolled in alternative certification programs, such as Texas Teachers. Once you have completed your Internship Year and all program requirements, you are issued a Standard Certificate. A Standard Certificate is valid for 5 years and can be renewed by completing CPE hours.
An Intern Certificate is valid for only one year. A Probationary Certificate is issued to a first-year teacher who has already passed the PPR exam.
If you are unable to complete your requirements during your Internship Year, or if your Principal recommends you to teach for an additional year on your Intern Certificate before receiving your Standard Certificate, you will need to pay an extension fee to teach another year. Extension fees are explained in your Student Handbook.
Late Hire is a process for anyone that was offered admission on or after July 1st, 2023. As a Late Hire Candidate, you are eligible to get hired by school districts immediately after passing your TExES Content Exam! You do not have to complete your training modules or FBEs before gaining access to your SOE. Learn more.
All COVID-19 Updates can be found on our webpage, under our Resources tab. Learn more.
All TEA updates can be found on our blog, under the Resources tab. Learn more.
We frequently post new, relevant articles, share resources, and keep you informed about all things teaching on our Teaching in Texas blog! Learn More.
Do you have another question that you can’t quite seem to find the answer to on this page? Feel free to check out our two other FAQ pages:
PROGRAM EXPLANATION FAQ
RECENT APPLICANTS FAQ
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