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What is The Texas
Institute for Teacher Education?
The Texas Institute for Teacher Education is an academic,
service-oriented organization committed to transforming public
education throughout the nation. Our primary mission is to
ensure that K-12 public school students with exceptional
learning needs are meeting and exceeding grade-level learning
expectations. To accomplish our mission, the Institute
collaborates with school districts, institutions of higher
education, public/private educational organizations, and
local/state agencies to train beginning teachers for effective
service within 21st century classrooms. The Educator Preparation
Program at The Texas Institute for Teacher Education is a
technology-based, fast-track alternative certification program
that trains teacher candidates to link current research to
professional practice to ensure that all students, especially
those with cultural, linguistic, and exceptional diversity, meet
and exceed grade level standards.
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What sets your program
apart from other teacher preparation programs?
Our conceptual framework, "Preparing educators to meet the
diverse cultural, linguistic, and exceptional learning needs of
all students," guides the mission of the Educator Preparation
Program at The Texas Institute for Teacher Education. Thus, our
teacher candidates are uniquely qualified to plan, deliver, and
evaluate culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy
designed to meet the diverse learning needs of all students. Our
innovative, multidisciplinary curriculum prepares teacher
candidates to earn multiple teaching certifications in addition
to their initial certification area.
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Is The Texas Institute
for Teacher Education accredited?
Yes. The Educator Preparation Program at The Texas Institute for
Teacher Education is fully accredited by the Texas State Board
for Educator Certification, a division of the Texas Education
Agency.
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Who may enroll in the
Educator Preparation Program at The Texas Institute for Teacher
Education?
University/college graduates (with a degree earned from an
accredited domestic or international university/college) who
desire to make a positive difference in the lives of K-12
students.
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What are the admission
deadlines?
There are no admission deadlines. Although the Institute admits
applicants on a "rolling" basis throughout the year, everyone is
encouraged to apply several months in advance of their
anticipated hiring date as a classroom teacher.
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Does the Admissions
Committee consider incomplete admission applications?
No. All applicants must submit the online application and
supporting materials (two letters of professional reference,
official university transcripts indicating the highest degree
conferred, and any previous TExES scores) before the Admissions
Committee schedules the applicant for the admissions interview.
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What is the admissions
interview?
It is a short, fifteen to twenty minute telephone interview
consisting of open-ended questions related to teaching
dispositions.
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What is the expected
format of professional references?
Once the online admissions application is submitted, applicants
will receive a confirmation email that contains links to our
secure reference database. Applicants merely forward these links
to individuals providing the references.
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Am I required to pass
a TExES examination as a condition of admittance into your
program?
No. Although applicants may submit TExES examination scores to
support their application, it is not required.
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What is the GPA
requirement?
All applicants must submit a 2.5 cumulative GPA or 2.5 GPA
achieved over the last 60 semester hours. Exceptions to the GPA
requirement may be granted based upon extenuating circumstances.
Since the admissions process is holistically oriented, the
applicant's GPA is not the determinant factor of admission
status.
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Does the program
admit international candidates?
Yes. Our program actively recruits international candidates,
especially those with Spanish-speaking ability.
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Does the program
admit candidates who are in their last semester of college?
Yes. Candidates enrolled in their last semester may apply for
admission and begin the online coursework. An official
transcript indicating the conferred degree must be submitted at
the conclusion of the last semester.
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Where may I complete
the teaching internship?
Teacher candidates may complete their internships (either as a
paid "teacher of record" for one academic year or as an unpaid
"clinical teacher" for 12 weeks) at any TEA accredited public
school or TEA recognized private school within the state of
Texas.
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What if I have
completed university coursework that is similar to the online
seminars?
Teacher candidates with extensive pedagogical expertise, content
knowledge, and/or work experiences may complete a challenge
examination to receive credit for a required seminar. To
successfully challenge a seminar, candidates must obtain a score
of 70% or higher.
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What is the
difference between a Teacher Intern and a Clinical Teacher?
Teacher Interns serve a probationary year (under a SBEC-issued
probationary certificate) as the "teacher of record" and receive
all benefits typically afforded first-year teachers within the
school district. Salary schedules and fringe benefits are
determined by the employing school district. Clinical Teachers
serve an unpaid 12 week internship under the guidance of a
classroom teacher. Internships must be completed within TEA
accredited public schools or TEA recognized private schools.
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Am I guaranteed a
teaching position once I have been accepted into the program?
No. The Texas Institute for Teacher Education, nor any teacher
preparation program, can guarantee anyone a teaching position.
Campus administrators and hiring committees render decisions
based upon the candidate's qualifications for the desired
position. Since our candidates are qualified to earn multiple
certifications simultaneously, their marketability is greatly
increased. Our teacher candidates have unlimited, free access to
a database of open teacher positions within the state of Texas.
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When do I begin
searching for a teacher position?
Once fully admitted, you may begin your search for a teaching
position within any school district throughout the state of
Texas.
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What is the cost of
your program?
Since we are an academic organization, the cost of our program
is far less than most private teacher preparation programs.
Click here for complete fee schedule:
Program
Costs
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Who teaches the
seminars?
Seminars are taught by doctoral-level instructors who have
extensive experiences within K-12 public and private schools.
Most of our seminar instructors also serve on the College of
Education faculty at universities throughout the nation.
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What are
"individualized" payment plans?
To accomplish our mission of transforming the educational
experiences of K-12 students with diverse cultural, linguistic,
and/or exceptional learning needs, the Institute minimizes the
financial impact of professional training for prospective
classroom teachers. Fully admitted teacher candidates may design
a payment plan uniquely aligned to their financial
circumstances. Additionally, candidates may participate in the
pay-roll deduction option once employed as a first-year teacher.
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Does the Institute
provide references from its teacher candidates who are
currently enrolled or employed as classroom teachers?
No. As an academic institution, the Institute is obligated to
safeguard confidential student information. The Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g;
34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that requires the Institute to
protect the privacy of student education records.
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