Teacher Program Admissions Requirements & Application Process
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Teacher Admissions Minimum Prerequisites
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution
- If degree is from another country TOEFL Internet Based Test (minimum scores of 24 in speaking; 22 in listening and reading; and 21 in writing) Candidates who complete an additional bachelor's degree or higher in U.S. are exempt from TOEFL requirement
- An overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, or 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of coursework, and core content GPA of 2.75 a special consideration may be granted to overall/last 60 hours GPA in the 2.50 to 2.74 range with the director's approval
- Coursework requirements:
- Core Subjects EC-6/Bilingual Core Subjects EC-6/ESL Core Subjects EC-6/Special Ed. EC-12 – 24 hours of college credit in the core content subjects of math, English, science, and social studies (psychology and sociology do not count)
- Secondary single subject – 24 hours of college credit in the content certification area being sought
- Science 7-12 composite – 36 hours of college credit in specific categories of Life Science, Physical Science, Chemistry, and Earth/Space
- TSI – applicants with a conferred Bachelor’s degree meet the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) exemption; applicants in their last semester of graduating with a Bachelor’s degree or with a degree from another country will need to show evidence of mastery of basic skills
- Clear criminal background check
- Proof of English Language Proficiency shown by:
- Earned college degree in the U.S., or
- Successfully complete interview in English
Teacher Application Process
Step 1: Online Application
- $100 Non-refundable Transcript Review Fee
- Transcripts - Submission of all official (sealed) college transcripts
- If degree from another country - must be reviewed by TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Services provider
- Three references from professional sources, ie. employers, supervisors, teachers, professors, or school administrators
- Resume
- PACT Scores (if applicable) - Beginning January 27, 2020, applicants will be able to take a new series of Pre-Admission Content Testing (PACT) exams. Learn more about these new PACT exams and see the List of PACT exams effective January 27, 2020.
Step 2: Interview
- Interview - virtual format during COVID-19
- Interview in English
- Bilingual certification applicants will also be interviewed in Spanish
- Teach a 10-minute interactive lesson
- Complete writing sample
Step 3: Issuance of Admissions Letter or DNQ letter
- A Letter of Admission will be issued electronically to applicants who meet all admissions criteria in Step 1 and Step 2
- A Does Not Qualify (DNQ) Letter will be issued electronically to applicants who do not qualify due to deficiencies in either Step 1 and/or Step 2.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution
Contact Us
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Center for Educator Success
A division of the Harris County Department of Education
6300 Irvington Blvd.
Houston, TX 77022
Phone: 713-694-6300
Email