• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution

• Minimum cumulative grade point average (gpa) of 2.5 on a 4 point system, or 2.75 for the last 60 hours of coursework completed

Step 1 - Appointment for Program Overview and Acceptance

• Completed ACT Application (see downloadable Application below)

• Critical Thinking Skills Admission Test - a minimum score set by ACT with 1 retake allowed to meet this minimum score

• Transcript* Evaluation** to determine approved certification for the following areas.
  *Please note that unofficial transcripts may be used at the time of your appointment to evaluate your coursework; however, upon acceptance into the program, official transcripts must be provided to the ACT office. 
  **Foreign transcripts must be evaluated to show credits, grade points, lower & upper level courses, according to American university standards.
  
  EC-4 & 4-8 Generalist, EC-4 & 4-8 Bilingual Generalist, EC-12 Special Education, and EC-12 English as a Second Language Generalist certifications:
  Minimum 2.5 gpa for 24 hrs. in English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies. 
  For EC-4 & 4-8 Bilingual Generalist:  a 2.5 gpa for 6+ hrs. in Spanish/proficiency in Spanish.  Bilingual candidates will also register, pay for ($82), and take the TOPT (Texas Oral Proficiency Test).
  
  4-8 certifications:
  Minimum 2.5 gpa for 24 hrs. in single specialized area, Mathematics or English Language Arts and Reading, with 12 advanced (upper level) hours in this area and gpa of 2.75 for these advanced (upper level) hours
  Science:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 24 hrs. from a combination of 3 of these 4 areas:  Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Geology/Astronomy and 2.75 for 12 advanced hrs. of the total 24 
  Social Studies:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 24 hrs. in Social Studies courses such as history, government, geography/economics and 2.75 gpa for 12 advanced hrs.
  English Language Arts-Reading/Social Studies: minimum 2.5 gpa for 12 hrs. of English and 12 hrs. from a combination of Social Studies (History, Government, or Geography/Economics) and a 2.75 gpa for 6 advanced hrs. of English & 6 advanced hrs. of Social Studies courses
  Mathematics-Science:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 12 hrs. of Math and 12 hrs. of Science from a combination of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Geology/Astronomy and a 2.75 for 6 advanced hrs. in Math and 6 advanced hrs. from any of the Sciences
  
  8-12 certifications:
  Minimum of 2.5 gpa for 24 hrs. in single specialized area (Mathematics, English Language Arts & Reading, History, or Life Science [Biology]) and a 2.75 gpa for 12 advanced hrs. of the 24
  Science:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 33 hrs. with 9 hrs. in Physics, 9 hrs. in Cheminstry, and 15 hrs. in Biology and a 2.75 gpa for 18 advanced hrs (8 of which must be in Biology)
  Physical Science:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 33 hrs. with 15 hrs. in Physics and 15 hrs. in Chemistry and 2.75 gpa for 18 advanced hrs., 9 from each area
  Social Studies:  minimum 2.5 gpa for 33 hrs. with 21 hrs. in History (12 in U.S. and 9 in World) plus 12 hrs. from a combination of Geography, Government, Political Science, and Economics and a 2.75 gpa for 18 advanced hrs. of the 33
  
  EC-12 Art, Music, and Physical Education certification:
  Minimum of 2.5 gpa for 33 hrs. in specialized area and a 2.75 gpa for 24 advanced hrs.
  
  Other certifications include:
  Technology Applications, Computer Science, Family & Consumer Science, Health Science Technology Education, Health, Speech Communication, Journalism, Theatre, Dance, Spanish, French, German, Latin, American Sign Language, Physics/Mathematics, Physical Science/Mathematics/Engineering

Step 2 - Institute (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) Preparation Program 
               Components 

• Foundations for Effective Teaching
• Classroom and Behavior Management
• Curriculum Planning and Research-based Instructional Strategies, including technology

• Human Development Preparation

• Process of Becoming a Reader

• Equity for the Exceptional Learner
• Equity for the English Language Learner
• Teachers as Leaders   
  
  Institute classes are currently held at the Texans CAN Academy campus in central Austin,
  east of I 35 at the 11th St. exit:  2406 Rosewood Avenue, Austin, TX 78702

Step 3 - The Two-Semester Teaching Internship

The two-semester teaching internship begins when an ACT candidate signs a contract as a full-time, full-salaried teacher of record position with a school district.  The Internship Fee described below (Program Fees Disclosure) is payroll-deducted by the school district during the two-semester internship.

The Internship Fee is determined by the date when a teaching contract is signed.  Internship Fees are subject to change.
 

**The Two-Semester Teaching Internship Fee is paid by most school districts through payroll deduction from the intern's yearly salary and includes:
   $500 Mentor Teacher Stipend (This cost is approximate.  It is determined by the school district and may vary.)
$3,025 for TExES exam reviews, Field Advisor observations, Intern Development sessions, and continued program support throughout the first year in the classroom

The Internship Fee does not include the following fees that must be completed and paid online by the Intern:
$52 - Probationary Certificate Fee required by the State during internship
$77 - Standard Certificate required by the State upon successful completion of the program and success on the two (2) required TExES exams (content & pedagogy)
$60 - Fingerprint Fee
$82 - Registration Fee for the TExES Content Exam.
$82 - Registration Fee for the TExES PPR (Pedagogy & Professional Responsibility) Exam.
(A minimum of 2 TExES exams are required for certification.  To be considered "Highly Qualified" as defined by "No Child Left Behind", ACT candidates will register, pay for, and take the TExES Content once accepted into the program.  The PPR will be taken during the Internship.)
EC-4 Bilingual Generalist candidates will also pay:
$82 - Registration Fee for the TOPT (Texas Oral Proficiency Test)

NOTE: Interns requiring an extension of the one-year Probationary Certificate will be charged
             $500 per semester for handling fee & test review sessions. 
             Interns must pay online for the Probationary Certificate ($52).. 
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