Educator Preparation Resources

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) provides support to the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), Texas Education Agency (TEA), public institutions of higher education, K-12 schools, school districts, Education Service Centers, parents, students and community leaders in a collaborative, constructive network.

To Request A New Educator Preparation Certificate Program

SBEC Texas Administrative Code Rules, Title 19, Part 7, Chapter 228, rule 228.10, states that the “approval of an EPP by the SBEC, including each specific certificate class and category, is contingent upon approval by other lawfully established governing bodies such as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, boards of regents, or school district boards of trustees.” Institutions of higher education requesting approval to offer a new educator certificate must submit a request for a THECB approval letter using the Certificate Program Certification Form. Information and request forms for new certificates and programs can be found at the New Certificate Requests website. The THECB approval letter may be presented to SBEC to satisfy its educator preparation program approval requirements. Please note that the THECB approval letter in no way guarantees an educator preparation program or proposed teacher certification program will be approved by the SBEC. All educator certificate programs must be approved by the SBEC, and questions about that approval process should be directed to the Division of Educator Standards at the Texas Education Agency.

Bachelors Degree in Education

Background

House Bill 3217, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, allows an individual applying for a Texas teaching certificate to hold a bachelor’s degree in education. The bill also eliminates the 18-semester-credit-hour (SCH) limit on education courses that are included in a bachelor’s degree program that satisfies the requirements for a classroom teaching certificate. As a result, Texas public institutions of higher education may now request approval to offer bachelor’s degrees in education to satisfy the degree requirements for SBEC-approved classroom teaching certificates. Additionally, THECB staff will work with institutions that intend to transition existing degree programs to an appropriate Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code and title on institutions’ program inventories.

The following guidance is provided for public institutions of higher education that intend to establish a bachelor’s degree in education in their institutional program inventory. Institutions may establish a new bachelor’s degree in education through two pathways: the new program request process or a temporary transitional process for institutions with existing programs. The process to transition a bachelor’s degree in education depends on whether the institution has an existing degree in conjunction with a currently approved SBEC classroom teaching certificate. This guidance does not apply to certificate programs used to fulfill SBEC requirements for supplemental, student services, principal, or superintendent certificates.

Processes to Establish a New Bachelor’s Degree in Education

In 2001, based on directives from the Texas Legislature, the State Board for Educator Certification, and the THECB, the THECB staff developed guidelines and forms for institutions to facilitate the process of submitting new and/or revised undergraduate degree programs leading to teacher certification. Due to HB 3217’s removal of the restriction on bachelor’s degrees in education, and the 18-semester-credit-hour limit on education courses at the baccalaureate level for programs leading to teacher certification, the THECB worksheets providing guidance for proposed undergraduate degree programs leading to teacher certification are no longer in effect. Public institutions of higher education may select from the following processes to establish a new bachelor’s degree program in education.

1

Establishment of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education through the New Program Request Process

An institution may use the new program request process to establish a bachelor’s degree in education. The steps to complete the new program request process can be accessed on the THECB’s website: New Programs Requests.

2

Transition Processes to Establish a Bachelor’s Degree in Education for an Existing Degree Program with SBEC-Approved Classroom Teacher Certification

Existing Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with EC-6 and/or 4-8 Certification

Through August 31, 2021, public institutions of higher education may request a CIP code, title, and degree designation change to transition an existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies to a bachelor’s degree in education, if the institution is currently using the Interdisciplinary Studies degree to satisfy the requirements of a SBEC-approved EC-6 and/or 4-8 certification program. Both the existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and associated SBEC approved certification must be currently active for an institution of higher education to utilize this streamlined process.

This streamlined process may only be used to transition an existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies into a single bachelor’s degree in education. The process may not be used to transition an existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies into multiple bachelor’s level education degrees. Any additional bachelor’s degrees in education proposed from an existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies will follow the new program request process.

Requests to transition an existing bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies to an education degree through this transitional process may be done via letter, signed by the institution’s president or chief academic officer, and must include the following information:

  • CIP code, degree designation, title, and semester credit hours of the existing interdisciplinary studies bachelor’s degree; and
  • CIP code, degree designation, title, and semester credit hours of the requested education bachelor’s degree.

Request letters must be submitted through the THECB Document Submission Portal at: https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/proposals/. Institutions using this streamlined process are not required to complete the new program 50-mile radius area institution notification process. If more than 70% of the course SCHs required for the education degree major is different from the course SCHs for the Interdisciplinary Studies degree major, then the institution must use the new program request process to establish the education degree.

Existing Discipline-Specific Bachelor’s Degree Programs with Secondary or All-Level Certification

Through August 31, 2021, public institutions of higher education that offer an existing discipline-specific (e.g., math, chemistry, English, fine arts) bachelor’s degree program that is currently used to satisfy the requirements for an SBEC-approved 6-12, 7-12, or EC-12 certification may request the addition of an education degree in an identical discipline area that also leads to the previously approved certification. Both the existing discipline-specific degree program and associated SBEC-approved certification must be currently active for an institution of higher education to use this transitional process. Bachelor’s degrees in education added to an institution’s approved program inventory through this streamlined process are subject to current Low-Producing Program review and other THECB reporting processes.

Requests to establish an education degree through the transitional process may be done via letter, signed by the institution’s president or chief academic officer, and must include the following information:

  • CIP code, degree designation, title, and semester credit hours of the existing discipline specific degree;
  • title and grade level designation of SBEC-approved certification associated with the existing discipline-specific degree; and
  • CIP code, degree designation, title, and semester credit hours of the requested discipline-specific new education bachelor’s degree.

Request letters are be submitted through the THECB Document Submission Portal at: https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/proposals/. Institutions using the transitional process are not required to complete the new program 50-mile radius area institution notification process.

Teacher Education Field-Based Courses

  1. Definition – Teacher Education Field-Based (TEF) Courses are those courses in which the primary activity is performance of professional teacher activities by the university student while interacting with public school students and teachers as well as with university faculty members in a school-related setting. The professional activities do not necessarily include teaching but must include more than observation within a classroom. The interaction with students, teachers, and university faculty must be regular and frequent. Courses eligible to be TEF include those in the professional development sequence and, in some instances, reading, early childhood, bilingual, and special education.
  2. Procedures for Gaining Recognition – Universities requesting review of courses for field-based funding should submit a copy of the course syllabus and a short summary of their request via the THECB Document Submission Portal. The syllabus must clearly state the professional activities required of the student, the frequency and nature of the involvement of the student with faculty, and the procedures and standards used to evaluate the performance of the student.

Requirements for Educator Certification

The SBEC oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification, and standards of conduct of public school educators. The TEA Educator Certification division provides information and assistance for educators, school districts, and the public, especially as it pertains to becoming a teacher or administrator in Texas or renewing certification.

THECB Educator Preparation Policy Resources

Timeline of Legislative and Board Actions

Contact

Educator Preparation Resources

Inquiries regarding educator preparation resources should be directed to Andrew Lofters.

Email Andrew Lofters