(a) The educator preparation program (EPP) delivering educator preparation shall require the following minimum criteria of all applicants seeking initial certification in any class of certificate, unless specified otherwise, prior to admission to the program.
(1) For an undergraduate university program, an applicant shall be enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education (IHE).
(2) For an alternative certification program or post-baccalaureate program, an applicant shall have, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree earned from and conferred by an accredited IHE.
(3) For an undergraduate university program, alternative certification program, or post-baccalaureate program, to be eligible for admission into an EPP, an applicant shall have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 before admission.
(4) For an applicant who will be seeking an initial certificate in the classroom teacher class of certificate, the applicant shall have successfully completed, prior to admission, at least:
(5) For an applicant who will be seeking an initial certificate in a class other than classroom teacher, the applicant shall meet the minimum requirements for admission described in Chapter 239 of this title (relating to Student Services Certificates); Chapter 241 of this title (relating to Certification as Principal); and Chapter 242 of this title (relating to Superintendent Certificate). If an applicant has not met the minimum certification, degree, and/or experience requirement(s) for issuance of a standard certificate prior to admission, the EPP shall inform the applicant in writing of any deficiency prior to admission.
(6) An applicant must demonstrate basic skills in reading, written communication, and mathematics by meeting the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative under the rules established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) in Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, of this title (relating to Texas Success Initiative), including one of the requirements established by §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions, Exceptions, and Waivers).
(7) An applicant must demonstrate the English language proficiency skills as specified in §230.11 of this title (relating to General Requirements).
(8) An applicant must submit an application and participate in either an interview or other screening instrument to determine if the EPP applicant's knowledge, experience, skills, and aptitude are appropriate for the certification sought.
(9) An applicant must fulfill any other academic criteria for admission that are published and applied consistently to all EPP applicants.
(b) An EPP may adopt admission requirements in addition to and not in conflict with those required in this section.
(c) An EPP may not admit an applicant who:
(1) has been reported as completing all EPP requirements by another EPP in the same certification category or class, unless the applicant only needs certification examination approval; or
(2) has been employed for three years in a public school under a permit, intern, or probationary certificate as specified in Chapter 230, Subchapter D, of this title (relating to Types and Classes of Certificates Issued), unless the applicant is seeking clinical teaching that may lead to the issuance of an initial standard certificate.
(d) An EPP may admit an applicant for CTE certification who has met the experience and preparation requirements specified in Chapter 230 of this title (relating to Professional Educator Preparation and Certification) and Chapter 233 of this title (relating to Categories of Classroom Teaching Certificates).
(e) An EPP may admit an applicant for the Trade and Industrial Workforce Training: Grades 6-12 certification who has met the following requirements:
(1) has been issued a high school diploma or a postsecondary credential, certificate, or degree;
(2) has seven years of full-time wage-earning experience within the preceding 10 years in an approved occupation for which instruction is offered;
(3) holds with respect to that occupation a current license, certificate, or registration, as applicable, issued by a nationally recognized accrediting agency based on a recognized test or measurement; and
(4) within the period described by paragraph (2) of this subsection, has not been the subject of a complaint filed with a licensing entity or other agency that regulates the occupation of the person, other than a complaint that was determined baseless or unfounded by that entity or agency.
(f) An EPP may admit an applicant who has met the minimum academic criteria through credentials from outside the United States that are determined to be equivalent to those required by this section using the procedures and standards specified in Chapter 245 of this title (relating to Certification of Educators from Other Countries). An EPP at an entity that is accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the THECB may use its own foreign credential evaluation service to meet the requirement described in §245.10(a)(2) of this title (relating to Application Procedures), if the entity is in good standing with its accrediting organization.
(g) An applicant is eligible to enroll in an EPP for the purpose of completing the course of instruction, defined in §228.35(i)(2) of this title (relating to Preparation Program Coursework and/or Training), that is required for the issuance of an Early Childhood: Prekindergarten-Grade 3 certificate if the individual holds a valid standard, provisional, or one-year certificate specified in §230.31 of this title (relating to Types of Certificates) in one of the following certificate categories:
(1) Bilingual Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 4;
(2) Bilingual Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 6;
(3) Core Subjects: Early Childhood-Grade 6;
(4) Early Childhood Education;
(5) Elementary--General;
(6) Elementary--General (Grades 1-6);
(7) Elementary--General (Grades 1-8);
(8) Elementary Early Childhood Education (Prekindergarten-Grade 6);
(9) Elementary Self-Contained (Grades 1-8);
(10) English as a Second Language Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 4;
(11) English as a Second Language Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 6;
(12) Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 4;
(13) Generalist: Early Childhood-Grade 6;
(14) Kindergarten;
(15) Prekindergarten-Grade 5--General;
(16) Prekindergarten-Grade 6--General; or
(17) Teacher of Young Children--General.
Source Note: The provisions of this §227.10 adopted to be effective July 11, 1999, 24 TexReg 5011; amended to be effective December 14, 2008, 33 TexReg 10011; amended to be effective February 28, 2016, 41 TexReg 1238; amended to be effective October 18, 2016, 41 TexReg 8198; amended to be effective June 3, 2018, 43 TexReg 3355; amended to be effective December 22, 2019, 44 TexReg 7683; amended to be effective October 15, 2020, 45 TexReg 7249