Tarleton State University Teacher Alternative Certification Program

• Conferred Bachelor’s Degree from a Regionally Accredited Institution
• 2.75 Grade Point Average (overall or last 60 hours)
• 12 hours in Content Area (15 if math or science)
• Successful Pre-Admission Screening Process

*Application and Access Fees are non-refundable.

• Our ACP consists of 300 clock hours of curriculum and training prior to standard certification.
• Our coursework is aligned to Texas Educator Standards and includes Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR), classroom management, assessment, and instructional planning. Candidates must take the units in sequential order, and the first four units must be completed prior to the internship/clinical teaching.
  • Unit 1 – Methods of Effective Teaching
  • Unit 2 – Creating and Managing the Learning Environment
  • Unit 3 – Teaching All Students
  • Unit 4 – Literacy Development/Content Area Literacy
  • Unit 5 – Important Topics for Educators
  • Unit 6 – Content Area Methods
• Prior to internship/clinical teaching, candidates must complete 50 hours of field-based experience in varied classroom settings.
• Candidates who do not meet benchmarks will be placed on a formal remediation plan outlining required actions and timelines.

• Approval to take certification exams is granted only upon demonstration of readiness through program-defined performance criteria.
• Candidates must receive formal approval from Tarleton State prior to registering for any certification exam.
• Candidates are subject to TEA-established limits on exam attempts. Additional attempts require program approval and completion of remediation requirements.
• Content area (and STR if applicable) TExES exams must be taken prior to beginning the internship/clinical teaching. 

• Candidates must complete a full-year internship as teacher of record or 14-week full-day clinical teaching placement.
• All placements must be approved by Tarleton State and meet TEA requirements for certification areas, campus, and mentor assignment.
• Each candidate will receive a minimum of three formal observations during the internship, each lasting at least 45 minutes or one complete lesson.
• Each observation includes a pre-conference, written feedback, and a post-conference to support candidate growth.
• All field supervisors meet TEA qualification requirements, including certification and experience in the assigned content area.
• Candidates must meet benchmark requirements at designated checkpoints to progress through the program.

• All candidates are required to adhere to the SBEC Educator Code of Ethics. Violations may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal from the program.
• Candidates may be placed on probation or dismissed for failure to meet academic, professional, or ethical standards.
• To be recommended for standard certification, candidates must: (1) complete all coursework; (2) complete clinical requirements; (3) pass required certification exams.
• Tarleton State will recommend candidates for certification upon verification of all requirements

• See the Educator Certification and Academic Services Handbook and ECAS website for the complaint process.