Teacher Certification

Admission to the College of Education & Health Professions teacher certification program is admission to a professional program and must be applied for apart from admission to the university. Admission to teacher education applies to all teacher education students: elementary, middle, and secondary. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the Educator Preparation Office in the College of Education & Health Professions before making plans to enter any program that leads to teacher certification. Application for admission to teacher education is made through the Educator Preparation Office during the semester prior to enrollment in the first professional education course.

Specific Requirements for Admission and Retention To a Teacher Certification Program

The following are the specific requirements for admission to the Teacher Certification Program:

1. Completion of 54 semester hours prior to enrollment in Professional Education Courses.
2. Passage of THEA/TASP, TSI complete or exempt.
3. Complete Nelson-Denny Reading Assessment. Must receive a stanine score of 3 or above to be admitted. Students will be allowed one retake on the Nelson-Denny if score falls in the 2 or 1 stanine.
4. Complete face-to-face interview with SoEHP&HD faculty.
5. Overall GPA of 2.5 in 6 semester hours of lower-division English; semester hours must be in Composition.
6. Overall GPA of 2.5 in all lower-division courses that apply to teacher certification.
7. Provide criminal background check results to Educator Preparation Office.
8. Lower division courses must be completed before admission to Teacher Education. (Post-Baccalaureate students see “POST-BACCALAUREATES” section for certification admission requirements.)

NOTE: All potential certificate applicants with criminal felony or misdemeanor convictions should contact the Educator Preparation Office for information.

Student Success, Retention and Professional Support (Growth Plan)

The Teacher Education Program faculty participates in ongoing examination of student progress. Students are required to meet Professional Disposition Standards. If a student has difficulty meeting the Professional Disposition Standards faculty shall provide support and prepare a Professional Growth Plan to meet individual student needs. Further information is available from the faculty advisor or visit: www.uhv.edu/education/future-students/texas-teacher-certification/

Professional Dispositions

1. Professionalism
2. Student Centeredness
3. Personal Development

The following are the specific requirements for retention in the Teacher Certification Program:

1. GPA of 2.5 in all courses on degree. All UHV courses must be a grade of “C” or better.
2. Evidence of the characteristics, behaviors and attitudes appropriate to the teaching profession.

Student Teaching Standards and Admissions

Prerequisites for Student Teaching

1. Student Teaching General Requirements

• Admission to the teacher education program. The completion of a minimum of 45 clock hours of scheduled and assigned observation/practicum in an accredited school. Undergraduate candidates who will be student teaching MUST complete a minimum of 45 hours of field observations in order to student teach. These observation hours are to be documented on an observation log that can be obtained from Block I instructors or Educator Preparation Office. All candidates seeking certification are required to successfully complete all TExES Academy program requirements.
• After admission to teacher education and before applying for student teaching, a degree plan must be on file.
• TExES exams Core Subjects EC-6 (#291), Core Subjects 4-8 (#211), [EC-6 Generalist, 4-8 Generalist, Secondary Content Exam, and TExES PPR EC-12 exam] must be taken and passed before student teaching.  Students must take and pass the EC-12 PPR exam before the end of their 3rd semester in the Teacher Education Program.
• Candidates desiring to register for student teaching are required to check with the School District in which they will perform their student teaching to determine if that School District requires a check for the disease of tuberculosis. If the School District requires such a check, the candidate will follow that School District’s process for completing and then reporting the results of the test to the appropriate school district representative.
• Grades in all teacher education courses must be “C” or better.
• Completion of all lower division English courses used on the degree plan required 6-9 semester hours of English with an average grade of 2.5.

2. Student Teaching Requirements for Specific areas
   1. Elementary Education
      1. A minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in teacher education courses earned at UH-Victoria. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean or the Dean’s designee.
      2. An overall GPA of at least 2.5 and an average of 2.5 in all UHV courses.
      3. A candidate enrolled in ESED 4303 , ESED 4304  and ESED 4307  / CUIN 4307  (student teaching and the professional seminar) should be in the last full semester before graduation.
      4. A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (CUIN 4316 , CUIN 4322 , CUIN 4324 , CUIN 4358 , LITY 3320 , LITY 4362 , LITY 4365 ). Any exceptions must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and Director of Field Experiences.
      5. Student teaching for EC-6 certification requires 66 full days of classroom teaching within one semester or 132 half-days over two semester.
   2. Middle School Education
      1. A minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in teacher education courses earned at UH-Victoria in teacher education courses. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean or the Dean’s designee.
      2. An overall GPA of at least 2.5 and an average of 2.5 in all UHV courses.
      3. A candidate enrolled in MSED 4303 , MSED 4304 , and MSED 4307  / CUIN 4307   (student teaching and the professional seminar) should be in the last full semester before graduation.
      4. A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (CUIN 4316 , CUIN 4322 , CUIN 4358 , LITY 3340 ). The Director of Field Experiences must approve any exceptions.
      5. Student teaching for 4-8 certification requires 66 full days of classroom teaching within one semester or 132 half-days within two semesters.
   3. Secondary Education
      1. A minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in teacher education courses earned at UH-Victoria.
      2. Satisfactory completion of designated teacher education courses except student teaching.
      3. An overall GPA of at least 2.5 and an average of 2.5 in all UHV courses.
      4. A candidate enrolled in SEDU 4303 , SEDU 4304  and SEDU 4308  / CUIN 4307  (student teaching and the professional seminar) should be in the last full semester before graduation.
      5. A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (FEDU 3321 , LITY 4364 , CUIN 4313 ). Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Field Experiences.
      6. Student teaching for 7-12 certification requires 66 full days of classroom teaching within one semester or 132 half-days over two semesters.

Admission to Student Teaching (In addition to current student teaching admission requirements). Students must take and pass the following prior to Student Teaching.

1. Pass PPR Test (all certification areas), includes practice PPR and state PPR.  Students are required to take and pass the EC-12 PPR state teacher certification exam before the end of their 3rd semester in the Teacher Education Program.
2. Secondary Certification Students (7- 12) pass Content Area Test, includes practice test and state test.
3. EC - 6 and 4 - 8 students must have completed the Practice Core Subjects Test, T-Cert Tutorial and pass state Core Subjects Test.

Student Teaching Application

Student teaching requires daily participation in the activities of an assigned accredited school. Elementary Education student teaching (ESED 4303 , ESED 4304 , ESED 4307  - Professional Seminar) or Middle School Education student teaching (MSED 4303 , MSED 4304 , CUIN 4307   - Professional Seminar) requires an assignment of 60 school days.

Secondary student teaching (SEDU 4303 , SEDU 4304 , SEDU 4308  / CUIN 4307  Secondary Education Professional Seminar) requires an assignment of 60 school days.

Candidates may request the district in which they choose to complete their student teaching. Although every effort will be made to honor requests, candidates should be aware that the University cannot guarantee placements. Candidates may not request specific schools or cooperating teachers.

Announcements of application periods are normally made in prerequisite education courses and posted on campus bulletin boards.

The online student teaching application, found on the Student Teaching website, must be completed and submitted by March 1 for placement during the subsequent fall semester, and by September 15 for placement during the spring semester. Applications will be accepted for one (1) month after due date if accompanied by the $100 Late Fee. After April 1 or October 15, absolutely no applications will be accepted. These application dates apply to guest student teachers and VOICE student teachers.

After the online application is verified, the candidate is placed into the appropriate online student teaching course. Candidates should monitor their home page for access to this course to complete additional student teaching placement processes.