Teacher Education Records Office
(Certification Office)

Mission: The mission of the Teacher Education Records office is to ensure positive communication to graduate, undergraduate, and postbaccalaureate students seeking degrees and certification in an ever changing field.

The Teacher Education Records Office in the School of Education and Human Development is a service area for all students seeking an education degree and/or teacher/educator certification. The Certification Analysts and Degree Plan Counselors do all preliminary advising for information on degree plans as well as teacher/educator certification plans for Graduate, Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate students.

Teacher Certification

Individuals planning to teach in accredited Texas schools must obtain a Texas teaching certificate. UH-Victoria and School of Education and Human Development offer bachelors degree programs which meet the Texas State Board for Education certification requirements. Upon completion of the requirements for certain degrees in teacher education, the individual may be eligible to apply for certification. Students that hold a degree in a specific content area may be eligible to complete a teacher certification program as a postbaccalaureate.

Since May 1, 1986, in order to be approved for teacher certification or any graduate level certification, applicants, including those holding valid out-of-state certificates, have been required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on an examination prescribed by the State Board of Education. The current test is the Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES).

Teacher Certification Application

This certification process applies to ALL education students seeking initial and supplemental certifications from the State Board of Educator Certification.

Application for graduation and application for certification are different processes. They must be applied for separately.

1. Once all requirements are met, the student will apply directly to the State Board for Educator Certification at www.sbec.state.tx.us, Click on SBEC-ONLINE for the instructions and the application. Students are responsible for updating and maintaining current information on the SBEC/TEA website ( www.sbec.state.tx.us ).



2. A fee, payable to the State Board of Educator Certification, is required for each application.



3. After the student applies and pays the fee, the University will then recommend the student to the state for the appropriate certification.

If an out-of-state or out-of-country teaching certificate is held, one should call the State Board for Educator Certification support center for information at 1-888-863-5880 or apply to the State Board for Educator Certification at the following address:

State Board for Educator Certification
Capitol Station
P O Box 12728
Austin TX 78711-2728

Specific Certificate Requirements

Specific requirements and/or procedures are as follows:

EARLY SCHOOL EDUCATION (EC-4 Generalist) and
MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION (Grades 4-8 Generalist)

1. Complete all requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a plan in interdisciplinary studies.
2. Pass appropriate TExES exams.
3. Apply for teaching certificate.
4. Students already holding a bachelors degree should request a certification plan.

SPECIAL EDUCATION (EC-12)

A student interested in having a specialization in Special Education has two options:

1. Complete the EC-4 Generalist plan, -or- Complete the 4-8 Generalist plan,
2. And take:

SPE 3321 Exceptional Children: An Introduction
SPE 3322 Exceptional Children Assessment and Programming
SPE 4323 Exceptional Children: Modification, Methods and Materials
SPE 4324 Exceptional Children: Behavior Management
SPE 4305 Practicum in Special Education

Note: * SPE 4304 (Student Teaching :Exceptional Children) will replace ESE 4304 Early School OR MSE 4304 Middle School Student Teaching
(Students already holding a bachelors degree should request a certification plan. See "POSTBACCALAUREATE" information to follow.)

SECONDARY EDUCATION (Grades 8-12)

The student must to be certified under standards mandated by the State Board for Educator certification as follows:

1. Completion of the courses which fulfill the standards in one of the following teaching fields: Business Administration; Computer Science; English, Language Arts, Reading; History; Mathematics; Science.
2. Completion of all degree requirements for an academic degree incorporating one of the areas above.
3. Completion of professional development courses as follows:

C&I 3323 Instructional Design
RDG 4364 Content Area Reading and Study Skills
FED 3321 Educational Foundations for Teaching
IDS 3323 Child Development and Its Application To Learning
SED 4303/4304 Secondary School Student Teaching
SED 4308 Secondary School Education Professional Seminar
A methods course in the teaching field.

4. Pass TExES in Professional Development and appropriate secondary field TExES.
5. Apply for teaching certificate.
6. Students already holding a bachelors degree should request a certification plan.

Supplemental Certification Requirements

Supplemental certifications may be added to permanent Texas certificates by completing prescribed programs. The holder of the supplemental certificate may teach students at the same grade levels and in the same content area(s) of the holder’s base initial certificate. In some cases the applicant may hold a Texas certificate and be unable to add the desired certification until having completed requirements for the correct certificate. Please refer to the CERTIFICATES AND SUPPLEMENTAL CERTIFICATES OFFERED section of this catalog.

English as a Second Language

1. Hold a valid, appropriate Texas teacher certificate.
   Complete the following courses:

ANT 3311 Anthropology of Diverse Populations
ENG 3310 Introduction to the Study of Language
LNG 4310 Language and Reading
C&I 4310 Teaching Diverse Populations
C&I 4320 Teaching English as a Second Language

Student teaching is required in English as a Second Language, C&I 4303, or one year of successful teaching on a permit in an approved English as a Second Language or Bilingual education program.

2. Pass the TExES test #154.