Temporary Teacher Certificate - School District Guidelines
The Temporary Teacher Certificate (TTC) provides an additional certification route for persons who hold a bachelor's degree or higher to enter the teaching profession. Persons requesting a TTC must be employed by a Texas school district(s) for the two-year validity period of the certificate. The school district(s) will assume the responsibility of training the individual for the validity period of the certificate. View the TTC rule as approved by the Board.
The information provided here is to assist school districts wishing to hire candidates under this new certification route to develop the Preparation, Mentoring and Support Plan (PMSP) for submission to TEA for approval. Upon approval of the PMSP, school districts will be eligible to recommend and hire candidates for the Temporary Teacher Certificate.
A committee of stakeholders was formed, directed by the board, to develop guidelines for implementation of the Temporary Teacher Certificate, and to particularly address the mentoring requirement. The discussions of the committee and the ensuing recommendations have been synthesized and incorporated into this document.
Significant Issues
- It is the responsibility of the employing school district to provide an environment in which the candidate can be successful. School districts should:
- Assign the candidates to teach only in the subject of their certification for the duration of the Temporary Teacher Certificate.
- Limit the amount of extra-curricular activities assigned to the candidate (coaching, sponsoring clubs and organizations, bus driving, etc.).
- Adhere to the approved PMSP originally submitted to TEA for approval.
- Provide the same coursework, mentoring, and training that is required by Chapter 228 of this title (relating to Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs as stated in TAC 232.5.
- Candidates who already hold any temporary credential issued by SBEC (including emergency permit, probationary, and one-year) may obtain a Temporary Teacher Certificate as long as they have not held one or any combination of the credentials listed above for MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL YEAR. An individual is only allowed to serve for a maximum of three school years on temporary credentials before obtaining the standard certificate (19 TAC 230.502).
- Candidates CANNOT be hired mid-year [19 TAC 232.5 (f) (2)].
- Passing scores on both 8-12 Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) TExES and the appropriate 8-12 TExES content exam are required prior to employment on a TTC. There are no limits as to the number of times a candidate can take an exam. Authorized school district representatives can view examination results through the secure online system and should check this information before hiring and recommending a candidate for the Temporary Teacher Certificate.
- A Temporary Teacher Certificate (TTC) can only be issued for grades 8-12 in content areas for which a test exists under the Texas Examination for Educator Standards (TExES) program. List of certificates and required exams.
School District Requirements
School districts wishing to hire candidates using the Temporary Teacher Certificate must 1) prepare and submit a Preparation, Mentoring and Support Plan (PMSP) to TEA staff for review and approval, 2) hire and recommend the candidate for the Temporary Teacher Certificate, and 3) recommend the candidate for the Standard Certificate at the end of the two-year Temporary Teacher Certificate period and completion of all requirements. The following guidelines should be used by school districts when preparing the PMSP and making candidate recommendations.
STEP ONE
Prior to employing any individuals on a Temporary Teacher Certificate (TTC) a school district must submit a PMSP to TEA staff for review and approval. The PMSP must include:
- An outline of the intensive support system to be provided during the person's employment,
- including a mentoring program that is modeled in research-based mentoring and induction programs,
- pre-service training, and
- ongoing appropriate professional development that must include, but is not limited to, the areas outlined in rule.
- The school district Superintendent or designee must submit an affidavit attesting that the district will ensure that the candidate receives the outlined pre-service training, mentoring and on-going professional development as required in SBEC rule and outlined in their approved PMSP.
- School districts that are not able to provide this intensive pre-service and on-going training and support may require the candidate to complete a teacher training through an approved educator preparation program.
- Districts would then simply identify the SBEC approved teacher training program that will be providing the services required in rule.
A. Pre-Service Training
19 TAC 232.5 (f) (2) requires:
(2) pre-service training that addresses the following areas before the first day of the start of the student academic year and ongoing appropriate professional development must include, but not be limited to, the following areas:
- school policies and relevant state and federal law;
- instructional methods and strategies that emphasize practical applications of the teaching-learning processes,
- curriculum organization, planning, and evaluation, including the scope and sequence of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in the subject area in which the teacher holds a certificate, and
- basic principles and procedures of classroom management with emphasis on classroom discipline, using group and individual processes.
The PMSP shall include:
- School districts should provide a minimum of 80 clock hours of pre-service training before the start of the academic school year.
- This should be in addition to any new employee or new teacher orientation required by the district at the start of the school year.
- The training must consist of, but is not limited to, the topics outlined in SBEC rule.
B. Mentoring/Induction
19 TAC 232.5 (f) (1) requires:
(updated proposal to be added at a later time)
C. Professional Development
19 TAC 232.5 (f) (2) requires:
(updated proposal to be added at a later time)
The PMSP shall include:
- School districts should provide a minimum of 300 clock hours of on-going professional development over the two year employment period.
- This should be in addition to any regular district professional development programs in place.
- The training should also consist of, but is not limited to, those topics outlined in SBEC rule.
- The professional development should utilize the mentoring/induction program to identify and address professional development needs of the TTC teacher.
- Provide opportunities for the candidate to complete the requirements of the professional development plan, including training and time to observe effective teachers on campus.
- The program should provide for on-going clinical experiences and classroom observations that may also be used as tools to guide the professional development plans of the candidate.
D. Evaluation of Individuals holding Temporary Teacher Certificates
19 TAC 232.5 (j) (3) requires:
(3) the employing district(s) has (have) favorably reviewed the person's performance, including classroom performance and performance in any teacher training program(s). Each school district must predominately base the review of a person's performance on the increase in achievement of the students over which the person has had charge.
The school districts shall use a combination of the following when evaluating a candidate for recommendation for the standard certificate:
- PDAS or a local teacher-appraisal system with a minimum ranking of “Proficient”.
- Evidences of Student Achievement (ESA) – The Temporary Teacher Certificate holder should submit to the employing district(s) an ESA which serves as evidence that the candidate was responsible for an increase in student achievement.
- The ESA will be evaluated by local district personnel.
- Standardized test data may be included if appropriate.
- Results of the evaluation submitted to TEA annually.
- Reported as either “acceptable” or “not acceptable”.
List of approved school districts to offer the Temporary Teacher Certificate.
STEP TWO
Recommendation for the Temporary Teacher Certificate
19 TAC 230.436 (10) relating to recommending a candidate for the Temporary Certificate:
(10) Temporary certificate based on recommendation by an approved teacher preparation entity or Texas public school district.
- Candidates must complete all requirements to receive the TTC as outlined in rule. List of candidate requirements and responsibilities.
- Candidates must be recommended for a TTC by the employing Texas public school district. School districts will recommend candidates for the TTC by logging in online. Information about Online Entity Users. Once logged in, click on the “Temporary Teacher Certificate” menu button on the left-hand side of the screen and follow the instructions provided. Only school districts with TEA-approved PMSPs will be able to view this menu option.
- The recommending school district will indicate a start date for the TTC.
- Superintendent or designee will submit an online affidavit that the candidate will be employed with the school district on that date.
- This date will become the effective date for the TTC and will begin the two year period of continuous employment.
STEP THREE
Recommendation for the Standard Certificate
19 TAC 232.5(i) relating to recommending a candidate for a Standard Certificate at the end of two years of successful continuous employment:
(i) At the end of the two years of employment, the person must apply to the Texas Education Agency for a standard certificate. The person must also be recommended by the current employing school district for certification. All employing school districts must provide evidence to the State Board for Educator Certification that each district has complied with the requirements (of subjection (f) of this section.
- Recommendation for the standard certificate will be made by the school district Superintendent or designee and an online affidavit will serve as verification that all Temporary Certificate requirements outlined in the original PMSP and in rule have been met.
- School districts will recommend candidates for the Standard Certificate by logging in to SBECOnline. Once logged in, click on the “Standard Certification” menu button on the left-hand side of the screen follow the instructions provided.
School districts must submit the PMSP and Superintendent or designee affidavit attesting that the district will ensure that the candidate receives the outlined pre-service training, mentoring and on-going professional development to the Division of Educator Standards.
Districts should submit their proposals sufficiently in advance to allow for review. Please submit the required materials, accompanied by a cover letter to:
Texas Education Agency
Division of Educator Standards
1701 N. Congress Ave.
WBT 5-100
Austin, TX. 78701-1494
Upon approval, the district will be added to the List of School Districts Approved to Offer the Temporary Teacher Certificate.
Questions regarding the Temporary Teacher Certificate or the Preparation, Mentoring, and Support Plan may be sent to Janice Lopez at janice.lopez@tea.state.tx.us.
Page last modified on 7/22/2010.