• General Information
• Initial Admission Requirements (CPDT)
  • Texas Academic Skills Program
  • Seminar for Education Students
  • English Proficiency Requirement
  • Grade Point Average Requirements
• Program Admission
  • Application to the CPDT Program
  • CPDT Admission Interview
  • Teacher Preparation Committee (TPC)
  • Refusal of Admission
  • Retention in the CPDT Program
• Intern Semester (Semester Preceding Resident Teaching)
  • Resident Recommendation
• Resident Semester
  • ILT Recommendation for Grade and Certification
• Teacher Bound
• ExCET Examination
• Revised Certification Levels and Areas
• Criminal Records Search
• Application for Certification
• Applying for a Teaching Position
• Who to Call

Teaching certificates are issued by the State Board for Educator Certification based upon the recommendation of Texas A&M University-Texarkana. This recommendation includes verification of completion of an approved program in teacher preparation and a statement affirming the academic fitness of the individual for service as a teacher.

Texas A&M University-Texarkana regards this recommending power as a serious responsibility. Therefore, a screening procedure is required to provide a systematic appraisal of those who propose to become teachers. Admission to the Center for Professional Development and Technology (CPDT) is required of all students (graduate or undergraduate) seeking a first provisional teacher certificate.

CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AND TECHNOLOGY (CPDT)

In an attempt to be a significant participant in the effort of the State of Texas to promote educational excellence and equity for all children for the 21st century, Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMU-T) began the development of a field-based teacher preparation program in 1992. Through collaboration with teachers and administrators from several Independent School Districts, the mission to improve student learning by designing, integrating, and implementing innovative teaching practices and educational management systems with technology in the field-based preservice and inservice education of teachers for the public schools was implemented.

Students must successfully complete numerous admission mandates as they move through the CPDT program. These mandates may be categorized as initial, program, intern, and resident requirements. Students should make every effort to become familiar with, and stay abreast of, the CPDT requirements and fulfill them in a timely manner.

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TEXAS ACADEMIC SKILLS PROGRAM

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) is used to test basic skills. This test is in three parts measuring skills in mathematics, reading and writing. Application packets can be obtained from the Teacher Certification Office. The test is given at Texarkana College.

The minimum score requirements for Education students are Reading 240, Math 230 and Writing 220. If required score is not met, students must retake the appropriate portion of the exam. The test may be retaken as many times as needed.

Note: Students who are pursuing initial teacher certification must pass all three parts of the TASP prior to enrollment in ANY Professional Development (Education) courses.

(Contact Teacher Certification Office for possible exemptions.)

Please make sure the Teacher Certification Office has your TASP information on file.

SEMINAR FOR EDUCATION STUDENTS

The Education Seminar provides a means by which Education students are given explicit information regarding the policies and procedures of the University's Center for Professional Development & Technology program (CPDT). Two sessions of the seminar are presented in the Fall and Spring semesters, and one session in each Summer semester. Dates and times can be found in the Steps for Teacher Certification section of the Class Schedule. Students should attend the Education Seminar in their first semester of enrollment.

A packet of information is given to each student which contains the mandates for admission to the program. This packet contains the following: 1) Student Profile Form [101], which will be completed and turned in during the seminar; 2) Schedule of Classes Form [104], which students should take with them when they meet with their faculty advisors during their first semester; 3) Professional Development course sequence sheet; 4) brief list of CPDT requirements; and 5) a survey form. Additionally, representatives from the Teacher Certification office will provide a discourse wherein clarification and explanation of requirements are given. The opportunity for discussion and questions from students is also provided and encouraged. It is the students responsibility to become familiar with the CPDT requirements using the information provided during the Education Seminar, and to fulfill the requirements as expediently as possible.

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT

All certificate seeking students must complete English 333, Advanced Composition, with a grade of B or higher. This course should be taken in the student's first semester. (Students may not use the Advanced Placement Exam to satisfy this requirement.) If a grade of B or above is not received, the course must be repeated and the grade requirement met.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS

1. Professional Development:
   Students must complete Ed 311, Human Growth & Development, Ed 321, Effective Teaching & Evaluation, and Ed 410, Introduction to Exceptional Children, with no grade below B*. If necessary, these courses must be repeated and grades improved to meet the requirement
2. Academic Specialization or Teaching Field:
   Students must have no grade below C* and a GPA of 2.5 or above in their academic specialization or teaching field. Courses must be repeated, or additional courses must be taken until the required GPA is met.
3. Cumulative Grade Point Average:
   Students must have an overall GPA of 2.60 or above in all of their courses when they apply for admission to CPDT. Courses must be repeated, or additional courses must be taken until the required GPA is met.

   *Please note: Courses with grades below a B will not be used in students' Professional Development and grades below a C will not be used in Academic Specialization or Teaching Field areas and MUST BE REPEATED.

APPLICATION TO THE CPDT PROGRAM

Students must apply for admission to the CPDT by the published deadline (see below for deadlines for receipt of applications) in the fall or spring semester preceding the internship semester. It is the student's responsibility to request the application packet from the Teacher Certification Office prior to deadline date. Students will submit a completed CPDT Application (120) to the CPDT office and the Teacher Certification Office and deliver a Teaching Field Academic Reference Form (130) to a faculty member of their choice in their teaching field or Academic Specialization. A positive reference must be received from a faculty member in students' academic area for admission to the CPDT.

Upon receipt of the applications, students' files will be reviewed by Teacher Certification Office personnel for all admission requirements and letters will be sent verifying their admission status.

CPDT ADMISSION INTERVIEW

The purpose of the CPDT Admission Interview is for site-based CPDT Admission Interview Committees to select students to intern on their campuses and to collect information for making appropriate Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) assignments. These Committees are composed of University liaisons, mentor teachers and school administrators. Students must be selected by a participating site as one requirement for admission to the CPDT program.

The Interview Committee will complete a CPDT Admission Interview Form (220) for each student and submit it to the CPDT Director. The Director will then notify the students of the results.

Upon receipt of the interview results, the Teacher Certification Office personnel will again review students' files for all admission requirements and, if successfully completed, will submit a list of qualified applicants to the Teacher Preparation Committee (TPC) for approval. The TPC votes to take one of the following actions: 1) the student is admitted to the CPDT program; 2) the student is admitted under special conditions defined by the TPC; or 3) the student is not admitted to the CPDT program. Students are notified by letter of the results of the TPC meeting.

When admitted, students are assigned to ILTs by the appropriate ISD Steering Committees. ILTs are composed of classroom teachers, university faculty members and the Intern. The teams meet periodically throughout the semester to provide feedback and assist the Intern.

TEACHER PREPARATION COMMITTEE (TPC)

The Teacher Preparation Committee (TPC) is comprised of representatives from the departments of Education and Arts & Sciences, and University education students.

REFUSAL OF ADMISSION

The Program Area and/or TPC reserves the right to separate from a degree/certificate program a student who, in the professional judgment of a duly constituted program area committee, appears unlikely to succeed professionally, regardless of grades earned and other requirements successfully completed.

Students who believe that they have a grievance may submit a letter to the TPC stating what requirements they are appealing and the rationale for their grievance.

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During the students' intern semester, students must enroll in the appropriate classroom management, curriculum, and intern courses (Ed 450, 451, and 488 [Elementary] or Ed 452, 453 and 488 [Secondary]) and plan to spend a minimum of eleven (11) hours per week in a public school. (Courses subject to change)

Additional courses may be taken during the intern semester, but students should use caution when planning their schedules and be prepared to keep their course load to a minimum. While spending time in a public school, students will work with ILTs and receive feedback and assistance from members of the team.

Students must receive positive recommendations from Instructors in ED 450/451 or ED 452/453 and ED 488 to be accepted into residency. During the semester, instructors evaluate, in their professional judgment, the students' potential for success in the CPDT program. Grades may be a factor, but may not be the primary focus for this recommendation. Instructors complete a form noting "positive recommendation" or "needs interview."

If the instructor marks "needs interview," the following steps are then followed:

1. The student's Education Faculty Advisor is notified and schedules an interview with the student and the CPDT Director.
2. The student meets with the Education Faculty Advisor and the CPDT Director.
3. After the meeting, the Advisor and Director complete the Intern Referral Report Form (151), providing written justification for one of the following: 1) the student continue to pursue education certification, 2) the student continue to pursue education certification under special conditions as defined by the Education Faculty Advisor and the Director of the CPDT, or 3) the student not continue to pursue education certification.

If the recommendation is 2 or 3 above, the Advisor will meet with the student and discuss the report. Both the Advisor and student must sign the report and a copy is forwarded to the student's file in the Teacher Certification Office.

RESIDENT RECOMMENDATION

At the close of the intern semester, a Resident Recommendation Form (230) is completed by the ILT faculty members. In their professional judgment, they recommend one of the following: 1) the student be admitted to residency; 2) the student be admitted to residency under special conditions as defined by the ILT, or 3) the student not be admitted to residency. The ILT faculty members will provide a written justification for 2 or 3.

If the recommendation is 2 or 3 above, the Advisor will meet with the student and discuss the report. Both the Advisor and student must sign the report and a copy is forwarded to the student's file in the Teacher Certification Office.

All requirements for admission to the CPDT and residency are again reviewed by Teacher Certification Office personnel for each student and a list of appropriate candidates is submitted to the TPC for approval. The TPC approves or disapproves each student for admission to the residency semester.

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The resident semester will take place in the students' last semester. Students must have all course requirements completed prior to the resident semester.

Students must register for 6 sh Resident Teaching.

Additional courses may NOT be taken with resident teaching.

RESIDENCY ASSIGNMENTS:
Secondary Education students must teach in each of their teaching fields. Elementary Education students will teach in an elementary classroom. If the Elementary Education student is also pursuing Special Education, and/or the Early Childhood endorsement, resident teaching will be divided between the pertinent areas. (Questions regarding assignments should be directed to the CPDT Director.)

ILT RECOMMENDATION FOR GRADE AND CERTIFICATION

Based on their professional judgment, the ILT faculty members complete the Residency Completion Form (250) and submit it to the CPDT Director, who forwards it to the Teacher Certification Office. Students' must have a positive recommendation for successful completion of their program.

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The ExCET exam must be taken the semester in which you are graduating or in your last semester of course work (Resident Teaching is "course work") The registration deadline is approximately one month prior to the test date. Application forms and study guides are available in the Office of Degree Planning and Teacher Certification, Room 206.

The State Board for Educator Certification has implemented a new closed registration process for the ExCET exams. As a result, TAMU-T is required to determine the eligibility of students who request an ExCET application. Only candidates authorized by TAMU-T will be allowed to register and test. To register, each candidate will be required to obtain a barcode label and affix it to his or her registration form. Candidates will obtain the barcode labels from the Teacher Certification Office after eligibility has been determined.

STUDENTS MUST TAKE ONLY THOSE TESTS REQUIRED FOR THEIR CERTIFICATION PLAN.

If completeing program prior to Fall, 2002, the following ExCET exams must be successfully completed for teacher certification:

Elementary Education
Elementary Professional Development (02)
Elementary Comprehensive (04)

Optional:
Early Childhood (14)
Generic Special Education (11)

Secondary Education
Secondary Professional Development (03)
Teaching Field [English (16), History (28), Math (17), Composite Social Studies (24)]

NOTE: ExCETS are to be taken DURING THE RESIDENT SEMESTER.

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The State Board for Educator Certification(SBEC) has issued new standards for new certificates for Texas educators. The Certificates will be:

The certificates noted above will be issued in the Fall, 2002, and thereafter. TAMU-T is in the process of revising the Education curriculum to meet the revised certificates. The decision regarding which fields/majors to be offered will be made and shared with students by the end of the Fall, 2000, semester. TAMU-T is committed to students and will do everything possible to assure they successfully complete their programs. There will be a process of transition, and as soon as the revised requirements are in place, we will work with those students affected to convert their plans to the new certification programs.

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A criminal records search by the State Board for Educator Certification is required by the State Board of Education of all certification applicants in accordance with Article 6252-13C, Texas Civil Statues. The Commissioner of Education may suspend or revoke a teaching certificate, or refuse to issue a teaching certificate, for a person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor for a crime which directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of a teaching professional.

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The Texas Education Agency application form is obtained from the Teacher Certification Office during students' final semester. The application for certification must be completed and turned in to the Teacher Certification Office with a $75.00 money order payable to the State Board for Educator Certification. The application and money order should be submitted the semester resident teaching is being completed.

When all requirements are completed, TAMU-T will forward the application and a TAMU-T recommendation to the State Board for Educator Certification. It usually takes three to five weeks after the State Board for Educator Certification receives the recommendation before the certificate is issued.

If you also plan to apply for Arkansas certification, contact the Teacher Certification Office.

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Credential and Referral Services

Students and alumni who are enrolled or have completed course work at TAMU-T are eligible to use employment credential and referral services. This service is designed to assist in securing employment by providing a central location for credentials and an efficient means of distributing them to prospective employers. When requested by the student, the file is duplicated and forwarded to whomever the student specifies. For specific information contact Carl Greig in Career Services, room 225, or call 223-3062.

To enhance employment opportunities for graduates of our teacher preparation program, Career Services is developing a publication featuring resumes of prospective teachers. Public school administrators have indicated this will be very useful to them in filling teacher positions within their districts. For additional information, contact Carl Greig in Career Services.

If applying for a position prior to receipt of a teaching certificate, a request may be made in the Teacher Certification Office for a letter verifying completion of certification requirements. (Room 206, or call 903-223-3048).

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Questions regarding:

1. Certification/degree requirements

   Gail Bryant (903) 223-3048 or
   Carol Moore (903) 223-3047

2. Course(s) - teaching field/academic spec

   Faculty Advisor

3. Scheduling problems

   Faculty Advisor

4. Special Request Form

   Gail Bryant (903) 223-3048 or
   Carol Moore (903) 223-3047

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