Students who complete the Teacher Education Program and who wish to obtain Texas teacher certification must pass the appropriate tests in professional education and in the appropriate teaching fields as required by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Approval to take the certification tests must be obtained from the Teacher Education Department and/or appropriate subject area departments. Additional information is available from the certification officer in the Department of Teacher Education. Candidates seeking certification to teach foreign language must also pass the Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT).

All candidates who plan to complete the Teacher Education Program at ACU are advised that the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) at times revises its certification rules, regulations and procedures.  To avoid additional requirements, it is important for students to take their exams within the first year after completion. Since ACU’s Teacher Education Program is aligned with SBEC, some changes in the requirements and procedures contained in the catalog may be necessary. Candidates seeking certification will be expected to meet the requirements in admissions, programs, certification and degree plans that are in effect at the time they graduate, even if they are different from those in the catalog in effect upon enrollment. Candidates are encouraged to contact the Department of Teacher Education on a regular basis to learn of changes as they occur. Every appropriate effort will be made to substitute courses for students as requirements change while continuing to prepare candidates for successful completion of the certification tests.

Except with prior approval of the chair of the Department of Teacher Education, individuals who complete their degree program at ACU must take all required professional education courses in residence. Approval of and exception must be obtained by completing a Transfer Course Application.

Certifications Available

• Art (Grades EC-12) 
• Chemistry (Grades 7-12) 
• Computer Science (Grades 8-12)
• English Language Arts and Reading (Grades 7-12) 
• English as a Second Language Supplemental  
• Generalist (Grades EC-6) This certification is also commonly referred to as “Early Childhood/Elementary.”
• History (Grades 7-12)
• Journalism (Grades 7-12) 
• Languages Other Than English - Spanish (Grades EC-12) 
• Life Sciences (Grades 7-12)
• Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
• Music (Grades EC-12) 
• Physical Sciences (Grades 6-12) 
• Physics/Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
• Social Studies (Grades 7-12) 
• Special Education (Grades EC-12) 
• Special Education Supplemental
• Technology Applications 7-12     
• Theatre (Grades EC-12)

TExES Certification Exam Preparation and Registration

There are at least 2 TExES exams every candidate must take and pass in order to be recommended by ACU for teacher certification.  In order to receive permission to take a TExES exam, candidates must take a practice test if available and/or get permission from the appropriate content department.  Testing costs are currently $120 per exam. These costs occasionally increase. Candidates are encouraged to stay abreast of these costs by visiting the testing website. The department will make every effort to inform candidates when costs increase. Information about and registration for the TExES exams is available at www.texes.ets.org.  

The ACU Teacher Education Program makes every effort to have available all published official practice forms of the TExES to assist candidates in their preparation. All candidates will be provided an analysis of their practice exams to identify strengths and weaknesses in domains/competencies in order to assist them in their preparation for the official certification exam(s). After completing an official practice exam, candidates will be approved to register for the official TExES exams appropriate for the designated certification level(s) and/or field(s). A score of 75 or above on the practice exam is a strong indicator for success on the official certification exam.

In order to be recommended for certification by ACU, candidates must apply for certification and fingerprinting at www.sbec.state.tx.us.  The costs for certification include the following:  Application - $77, Criminal Check - $49, and Fingerprinting - $9.95. The costs for these processes change occasionally. The ACU Teacher Education Program will make every effort to inform teacher candidates in the event these fees increase.

Candidates will be recommended for state certification upon completing all of the following: submitting an application for certification, graduating and successful completion of all TExES exams relevant to certification level and/or fields. Additional certifications can be secured directly through SBEC by a challenge process after obtaining initial certification.