Retention in the Program

Students must fulfill the following conditions to continue in the Educator Preparation Program:

  1. Students must maintain and graduate with an overall institutional GPA of 3.0 and must maintain and graduate with an institutional GPA of 3.0 in his or her teaching field/academic concentration.
  2. Students must be advised by a College of Education advisor before enrollment each semester. Additional conferences may be required by the advisor.
  3. Personal conduct must be in harmony with university standards.
  4. Students must reflect those personal qualities and professional characteristics identified by the Educator Preparation Program Committee which are conducive for employment in a teaching position.
  5. A professional attitude must be developed and maintained during the sequence of professional educational courses.
  6. Students are required to take the appropriate Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES) to be eligible for recommendation to SBEC for certification. These tests include a pedagogy and professional responsibilities test and a content area test. All of the following must be fulfilled regarding the TExES:
    • Students must enroll in and attend Educator Preparation Seminars, and pass a practice TExES test(s).
    • Students will not be approved to take TExES tests until they have scored 85 percent or above on the appropriate practice test given by the University.
    • Students are permitted to take only one TExES test per test administration. Secondary students may take their subject area TExES after all course work in that field is completed and they have scored 85 percent or above on the university practice test.
    • Students who do not achieve a passing score on the TExES test(s) will be required to attend TExES study sessions before being approved to retake the test(s). Students may also be required to seek help from professors in their teaching field/academic concentration.
  7. All students seeking educator certification must complete the program of study for educator certification in their subject area as approved by the Teacher Certification Committee, the University, and the State Board for Educator Certification.