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There are 2 paths to certification in Texas with a completed bachelors degree from an accredited university. Clinical Teaching or Internship. These are very different.

• Clinical Teaching is more commonly referred to as “Student Teaching” and is what most Universities offer Education Majors. It typically takes 14 weeks and is an unpaid apprenticeship-type of effort where you are paired with a teacher in that teacher’s classroom.
• The Intern Certificate offers you immediate classroom experience as a full-time full-salary teacher. Before you enter the classroom you are required to pass a subject area proficiency exam, complete the Teachworthy training modules and 50 hours of classroom observations.

Your Program Advisor will be able to visit with you about this process and see if / how you could qualify for additional certification areas. You need to know that on 9/1/2024, the State Board of Educator certification passed new rules that require programs to have assurances that each candidate has been trained in the educator standards and test framework related to the requested certification area.

If you have completed your training past Course #2, you may have to repeat some elements in training that are specific to your new certification area so that we have documentation on your training and preparation in your new certification area.

None.  We take all candidates that have a heart for kids and a desire to be in the classroom and prepare them to be extraordinary educators.

Yes! We accept applications throughout the year and teaching positions are waiting to be filled now.

Ideally, we want candidates to be fully prepared to enter the classroom with all the resources and knowledge they need to be successful and have these elements complete:

– Testing – You will have a module to help you step through the self-paced process of preparing for your content certification exam. The state requires that candidates demonstrate “test readiness” before being granted test permission, so allow yourself enough time to complete the review process. You will also need to check the Pearson site to see if your test has limited offerings so you can plan accordingly.

– Teachworthy training modules – There are 9-10 Teachworthy courses online and can be completed at your own pace. We recommend that you make a plan to work diligently through your course work and visit the portal weekly. Capturing Kids’ Hearts is a 2-day, face to face, nationally recognized training that is offered at various times of the year in all major cities. Your program advisor will assist you with scheduling this event.

– Field Based experiences – There are 4 video modules (10 hrs) to complete in the portal to help you identity research based best practices in the classroom before you go out to observe. You will need to complete 40 hours of face-to-face observations (or a variety of other qualified experiences) in a TEA approved classroom, so try to get these scheduled September – April. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to observe TEKS based instruction during the summer months.

There are special provisions that could allow candidates to enter the classroom with just their content test passed and allow 90 business days to complete the training and field-based experiences. This can be a strain since you would be expected to be in the classroom with students all day and complete your Teachworthy work in the evenings and weekends – and in 90 business days.

Be prepared for the high expectations of the classroom and start strong.

Your Program Advisor can outline a specific plan for you to be successful in the classroom as you move forward.

Absolutely! During your last semester* of your bachelor’s degree you can apply to Teachworthy.

* Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as the traditional Fall, Spring or Summer semester.

The Texas Education Agency requires all teacher candidates to have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 or a 2.5 in the last 60 hours.  There are some exceptions for candidates that have the content expertise to teach in high need areas.  Transcripts can be tricky to evaluate.  Let our Teachworthy team evaluate your transcripts at no cost to you.

If you have completed field-based observation hours in a TEA approved classroom as part of your undergraduate degree, Teachworthy will review your documentation to see if it meets the current requirements outlined in the Texas Administrative Code. Teachworthy will also review and consider course work completed through our post secondary partner, Indiana Wesleyan University.

If you are seeking certification in a skill or a trade (like law enforcement), and you served in this role while serving in the military (like military police), Teachworthy will review your DD214 for prior work experience instead of current licensures.

You will want to contact your university and ask them to send your transcript electronically to transcripts@teachworthy.org.
*If your transcript name is different from your Teachworthy application name please email transcripts@teachworthy.org to alert us.

The application is free. Once you have met with a Program Advisor who has verified admission requirements and answered all your program questions, you will be sent a Certification Plan and an invoice for the $195 enrollment fee. With this initial payment, you will be granted access to the Teachworthy portal to begin your certification journey.

With the enrollment fee payment, you will have the opportunity to pay the full, $300 curriculum fee, or set up a payment plan by paying $50/month for six months via credit card.

Your access to the Teachworthy portal will allow you to prepare for your certification exams and work on the training modules simultaneously.

For the testing element, certification exams range from $116 – $132 each, which is paid to Pearson, the TEA test vendor. We connect you to discounted resources to help your preparation and document your readiness to test.

You can also move forward and begin working on your training modules and field-based experiences. As you begin your training modules, we recommend that you purchase a supporting textbook from Amazon (approximately $20) that is a great resource for first year teachers and pairs with the training modules.

Once you are hired as a teacher and meet the requirements to begin your internship, you will set up monthly payments for the internship fee of $4,005, which is paid monthly ($445/month for nine months) over the course of your first-year teaching when you qualify for a TEA intern or probationary certificate.

The Texas Education Agency requires additional fees: your initial certification fee ($78), your finger printing fee ($52.20) and your final teaching certificate ($78). In total, the entire investment to become certified will be between $4,662-$4,778 depending on the number of content certification exams that are needed for your certification area.

Once you have met with your Program Advisor, signed your certification plan and have decided to move forward, you will be send a Formal Admission Letter and receive an invoice for $195.

It’s up to you. The prerequisites to enter the classroom are self paced. Your Program Advisor can help you create plan to complete these activities in a timely manner that works with your schedule.

Depending on your Formal Admission date and where we are in the academic school year, you may be eligible to enter the classroom once you have passed all your content certification exams. Our first choice is for candidates to pass all their content certification exams, complete the 30 hours of field based experiences, Capturing Kids’ Hearts Training, and Teachworthy training modules before entering the classroom to help ensure they are prepared for the demands of a first year teacher. With passing test scores, we help you connect with schools in your area by sharing your status with HR departments.

On an Intern Certificate through Teachworthy, absolutely! You will receive full pay and benefits just like all certified teachers.

For sure! We have the resources and the relationships to guide you through the interview process. We will even conduct a mock interview with you to ensure you are ready!

Nothing is owed to Teachworthy beyond the $195 training and testing fee until you are able to secure a teaching position.

Once you secure a teaching position, the Teachworthy team will verify employment with the district and walk you through the process of activating your initial teaching certificate to begin your Internship.  Upon successful completion of your Internship or clinical teaching, you could be recommended for your standard Texas teaching certificate.

In most cases yes! You will want to contact the state’s department of education where you plan to locate and confirm the reciprocation process. We are happy to assist you with this as well.

Yes. The intern certificate is for 1 year while you are in the process of becoming a teacher. Once you have completed all of Teachworthy’s requirements including those of the Texas Education Agency you will receive a Standard Certificate that is valid for 5 years. This Standard Certificate renews by completing continuing professional education (CPE) hours typically offered by your hiring district.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires that all teacher candidates complete a national criminal history background check through a fingerprinting process.  If you have concerns about this process, you can request a preliminary criminal history background check through TEA first.

Please visit this link for more info:  https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/National_Criminal_History_Checks-FAQs/

Definitely! Most hiring districts will require you to have social security number to apply.  There are special requirements to meet, but we can help you understand these.

Click here for more information on Non-US Citizens and Degrees from outside the US.

You can still apply and we will provide guidance on if the TOEFL test is necessary for you.

Click here for more information on the TOEFL test and requirements.

Unfortunately, since we are a certificate program only, and not an Institution of Higher Learning, we are not approved to process Post 911 benefits, Chapter 30 or Chapter 35 benefits.

Please visit the TEA website to review other military benefits that may be of assistance to you:
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification/military-community

Yes! This 14-week non-paid assignment is similar to student teaching where you work with a certified teacher. Over the 14 weeks you gradually progress to take on more and more teaching responsibilities. All program elements and requirements are the same. You will receive your Standard Certificate at the end of the 14 weeks if all program requirements are met.  Learn more.